Into the Shadow of the Sun
by xShadow.of.the.Sunx
Summary: Jasper always thought of himself as a "monster", a vicious creature that could snap upon a single drop of blood. He believed this so fully, up until the day his entire world was flipped upside down- the day he found her. Rated for themes/language.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga; if I did…

Prologue

For all my life, I wandered, in search of a reason for my prolonged existence.

For all my life, as neither dead nor alive, I'd been ensnared by a never ending battle between the past and the horrors that could become the future, in fear of scars and memories one could neither conceal nor forget and of the touch of poison dripping always from my fingertips.

For all my life, I'd been cast into shadow, afraid of all light, until the day the gates of heaven gave way to the sun to give me _him._


	2. Chapter 1, Lorena

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight; if I did, I would be filthy rich and retired by now.

Note: So begins my epic quest to edit… Hopefully, it's for the better.

Chapter 1

_Maiden in the Moonlight_

"_All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."_

-"A Dream Within A Dream" _Edgar Allen Poe_

"Where are you going, Jazz?" My "adopted" brother, Edward, asked from his seat on the white leather sofa placed in the Cullen family's spacious living room. I stopped at the front door, my hand still grasping the expensive gold doorknob. Edward looked up from his book to gaze casually at me with his all knowing golden eyes- the same exact eyes possessed by every member in this house, including myself. Edward, out of habit, brushed his thin, ghostly pale fingers through his bronze hair.

I smiled to myself and retaliated in a musical, southern accented voice that set me apart from the rest of the Cullens, "You tell me." As if the mind reader didn't already know. I opened the door and disappeared into the night. I could hear Edward chuckle as he put his book away to leave, no doubt to go see his Bella.

But he did ask a good question. Where was I going? Not even I knew. My plan, as per usual, was to stroll around in the forest until daybreak in hope of finding answers to the many unanswered questions I've come to ask over the many years of my existence; questions like, Will I always be able to restrain what I truly am? Will I ever be as strong as my family? And how am I to reconcile for all of the terrible, monstrous things that I have done or will do? And the biggest question of them all; what do you live for when you can live forever?

Not once over the century or so have I even come close to an answer. I sighed aloud. I fear, I admitted once again to myself, that I will be forever haunted with monstrous memories and taunted by the retribution that I so desperately crave.

I was pulled from my dark thoughts by a faint disruption carried to me on the winds from the East. "What is that?" The thought left my lips before I registered the thought. Curious and having ample time on my hands, I followed the sound. It led me a few miles east. By then I was able to distinguish that the noise was a voice. Someone, a girl, was singing. I was little ways away, but I could make out a verse.

"The years creep slowly by, Lorena,

The snow is on the grass again.

The sun's low down the sky, Lorena,

The frost gleams where the flow'rs have been.

But the heart throbs on as warmly now,

As when the summer days were nigh.

Oh, the sun can never dip so low

A-down affection's cloudless sky."

I froze, listening to the haunting, alluring tune. This mournful song- I knew it, and I would never forget for two reasons; one reason being that I'd heard it nearly every day when I was human. The memories were fuzzy, but I recalled how the soldiers, regardless of the side in which they fought for, would sing the hymn- _Lorena_, I believed it was called- in remembrance of their wives and girlfriends at home.

And the other reason, the one that tormented me most even after all these years, came in the memory of a woman singing the very same haunting ballad. Still now, the image burned away at my sanity. But why would such a small recollection scare me so, you ask? Simple. That woman was the first human that I had ever killed.

_It was a cold April night. The moon, although only a crescent, shone bright and set the leaves and tall grass alight with a soft, illuminating glow. Several patches of night blooming cereuses were abloom and rivaled the twinkling stars against the pitch black sky. Among the beauty was one greater- a woman with short choppy dark auburn brown hair, who stood in the meadow singing the tune I'd heard so many others sing. But her voice, an angel's voice, could never be put in comparison to any of them._

"A hundred months have passed, Lorena  
Since last I held that hand in mine  
And felt the pulse beat fast, Lorena  
Though mine beat faster far than thine"

_But I paid the maiden nor her song no mind, for I had a greater desire to quench; the desire for the rich elixir running through her veins. I could only notice and care for the thumping of her heart as her most delicious blood pumped throughout her body. To my newborn self, the smell was so intoxicating that I could not bear to even so much as think about parting with it. It was irresistible to me; I've never smelled such tantalizing blood. I doubt that I would have been able to fight it, even if I had been an older vampire at the time._

_Half-crazed by thirst and the bittersweet aroma, my instincts took hold of both my mind and body. My body crouched and my eyes stalked my prey. Before I knew it, I had already leaped._

So many mixes of emotion- fear, confusion, terror, and déjà vu- each feeling racked my body with tremors, the next stronger than the first. It was an unusual feeling to me. I had grown accustomed to the rush of emotion from the people around me, but the feeling of so many of my own was foreign.

My feet acted before my brain. Before I knew it, I was straddling the border of the forest looking onward into the meadow, cloaked in the shadows created by the ancient barrier of trees. In the meadow grew tall blue grasses and various breeds of bright hued wild flowers. Despite its meager size, the crescent moon illuminated the scene and set the field alight. The grasses waved in the wind, leaves on the trees bathed in the moon's rays, and several patches of moonflowers bloomed and glowed like candlelight. I doubled back to the flowers, and recalled another name for those flowers- the night blooming cereus.

And in the middle of it all stood a young maiden. She stood straight, only reaching a few inches over five feet, and stared heavenward, lost in the clear starry night sky. She was singing.

"A hundred months...'twas flowery May  
When up the hilly slope we climbed  
To watch the dying of the day  
And hear the distant church bells chime."

Her song reached out to entangle itself around my frame and pulled me closer to the beauty. I could see her, not even half a football field away, from my hiding spot behind an old oak. And a beauty she was.

She wore a simple white sundress, which wasn't the most practical article to wear in the middle of April (especially in Washington where it's cold and rainy). The dress did not do her slim, petite body justice, and something about her made me think that nothing in this world ever would. Her hair was a dark shade of auburn brown and hung in spiral curls past her shoulder blades. Her porcelain skin sparkled celestially in the moonlight- similar to the effect of the sun on my own. She looked so delicate, I thought.

My observation came to an abrupt stop with a single strong gust of wind. The rueful torrent blew in to tangle in the maiden's hair- whipping it this way and that. The dancing air current floated across the field and drifted into the line of oaks. Her bittersweet, intoxicating scent overwhelmed me. Instinctively, I sprung back a few feet, but made a mistake by snapping a young tree in half. It was happening all over again.

For a reason I'll never know, I looked up. She was looking, too. Dark, smoldering gold orbs met mix matched eyes. Her left eye was a stunning light sky blue, and the right was a dazzling emerald green. I lost all ability to breath. I tried to peel my eyes away, but something held them there. I found myself mesmerized by the captivating shades and hues and colors in her eyes.

_She had no warning, no clue. I sprang forth with the agility and ferocity of a hunter and easily grabbed hold of her tiny body. Without a pause, I clenched down on her neck with my teeth and gripped her neck with one palm. I smiled into her neck when I heard her gasp, and then begin to struggle by flailing about. She managed to smack me in the nose and BREAK it, but the lust for her blood was all that drove me. I had barely even noticed._

_Then all too soon, she fell silent as I lapped up the last of her warm, delectable blood. She fell limp from my arms once the blood was drained. Her once writhing body slipped from my hands and she crumbled to the grass like a broken doll. Finished, I turned to leave, but something pulled me back, made me look once more upon her. The image sent a shockwave through every nerve in my body. Her fingers twitched and she gasped desperately only to find the only passage for air crushed beyond repair. She looked up at me with confused eyes; her stunning, hauntingly beautiful eyes._

_Then she died. Looking up right at me, she took a strangled raspy breath and ceased all movement. I couldn't hear her strange fluttering heartbeat anymore. Something panged in my chest. I clutched at the spot angrily, irritated by the unreachable pain. But I could hear Maria calling me. I took one last look at the woman before I left. I couldn't help but feel, as I walked away, that I had left something behind along with her._

She blinked. The quick reflex gave me enough time to cut loose from her grasp. I expected her to run, in fear of the beast hidden among the shadowed timber. But she did no such thing. Instead, she nodded politely and looked back to the stars and continued the century old ballad.

"We loved each other then, Lorena  
More than we ever dared to tell  
And what we might have been, Lorena  
Had but our loving prospered well"

I was befuddled. Could she see me? No, surely not. No human could possibly see so far. But, was I even sure she was human? I listened, hearing past the song. I could hear a heartbeat- an odd, rapid paced, irregular pulse. The beat resembled a hummingbird thrumming its wings, I thought. Odd; _inhuman_.

Another breeze ransacked the foliage, but this time, knowing the delicious, otherworldly aroma to come, I began to panic again. I took one last glance at the maiden. She didn't seem to be bothered by my presence. A foolish human, I bitterly warned her silently. Then, with my breath still held, I turned to run back to my coven.

What a foolish woman. She stared straight into the eyes of a beast, and merely turned away. I laughed dryly. There was no way it could be the same woman. If it were, she would have run. She would have run far, far away from the man- _no_, the sadistic vampire who had killed her so many years ago.

"But then, 'tis past, the years have gone  
I'll not call up their shadowy forms  
I'll say to them, "Lost years, sleep on  
Sleep on, nor heed life's pelting storms."


	3. Chapter 2 Friend

Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga; I do, however, own the Andersons and the somewhat twisted plot that I have diverged them into.

Note: So, here's chapter two of my slow editing. In some places there is a considerable amount of changes, but in other parts, there really isn't too much.

"A good friend is cheaper than therapy."

-_Unknown_

Chapter 2

_Building a Mystery_

"Jasper?"

The whirling of my mind came to a crashing halt. _Edward_, the small voice of reason whispered from behind the depths of chaos currently swarmed inside my skull. Why was he here?

"Jazz, are you alright? Where have you been all night?"

I looked back outside, finally snapping out of the daze I'd been in for the majority of the night. My eyes grew wide. It was almost dawn! I looked to my brother as I closed the front door. I adverted my eyes quickly when he gave me a stern, worried look. Considering my past and current (slightly unstable) position as a "Vegetarian" vampire, I decided that it would be a wise idea to keep the events of my night to myself.

"Bella…"I muttered lowly in a whisper only a vampire could hear and understand. Edward looked confused. "You'll both be late for school … if you do not leave now." Edward glared. I knew what was next, and I quickly countered by blocking the images from his prying eyes. This would be one secret that I would make sure the mind reader would never find.

Edward glared and scowled, irritated with me. I simply looked the other way. "What did you do, Jasper?" Edward questioned, more demanded, in a tone I easily distinguished as uneasy. I used my ability to calm him. "It's not of your concern." I nodded as if to say "Goodbye" and swept up the staircase. I could hear him growling from my room. He left only seconds later.

I sighed, hating to be cruel to my kind (irritatingly nosey) brother. But it was necessary. This woman in my memory, I didn't want anyone to know about her- not until I was able to figure out what it was that I had only hours ago witnessed. I fell back onto my bed to stare into the darkness, not sleeping as I never could.

After what I assumed to be hours, I found myself humming. Then I began to sing that haunting tune over and over to myself. I couldn't help the question that followed.

What has this ghost done to me?

Edward's Point of View

"What happened?" Bella, my very much alive girlfriend, questioned as my Volvo slid smoothly into my space in the school's parking lot. She added, "You haven't spoken the entire time." I shut off the engine and turned my gaze to her. She looked worried. Her hand in mine clutched tighter as if to keep me there. A pang of guilt washed over me as I realized that she was afraid that I might be thinking about leaving her again.

At first, I hadn't planned on telling her- as it was neither my business nor hers- but the thought of her being scared out of her mind and in pain quickly made me rethink the idea. I quickly leaned forward to place a comforting kiss on her lips. The sweet gesture seemed to help. "It's Jasper," I simply answered. "Is he hurt?" She asked alarmed. "No… not him. He was out all night and came home at dawn in a frenzy- scared out of his mind. I tried to read his thoughts, but he blocked me out, and when I asked him about it he told me to mind my own business."

Bella, as well as myself, frowned. "Scared?" Her eyebrows furrowed to show her confusion. She looked directly into my eyes with her own chocolate brown orbs and whispered, "What can scare a vampire? Especially one like Jasper?" I shrugged. To tell the truth, I had no clue either.

Bella's Point of View

[Later that day; P.E, Class before Lunch]

Physical Education- the only subject that could make my hate for it grow every time I was forced to take it. And clearly, the feeling was mutual. Today we were assigned a two-mile run followed by three sets of 100-yard dashes around the track behind the school buildings. I felt even unhappier when I remembered that neither Alice nor Edward was in this class with me. Man, it was going to be a LONG class. I hate Mondays.

My mauling and whining was interrupted when the teacher cleared his throat to silence all of the whispers I'd not noticed, sending them into quiet rumblings. I looked up from my clumsy stretch to find the coach standing next to a girl I had never seen before. _Well_, I thought_, that explains all of the whispering_. It would seem that Forks had a new student, which, as I'd discovered earlier in the year, didn't happen very often. _Poor girl_, I thought, thinking back to my first few days as the "new student".

"_Class_!" The coach quieted everyone with his excitedly loud voice; "We have a new student! She's a transfer from Massachusetts!" The girl apparently didn't share his excitement. Instead, she looked embarrassed, like she'd rather be hiding under a rock instead of standing there as if she were on display. The coach continued. "Please welcome Miss… er," he stopped to squint at the roster clipped to his clipboard; his eyebrows furrowed and the lines in his forehead creased as if the words he was reading were gibberish. With a sigh, his determination to succeed in correctly pronouncing the name diminished; he parted his lips to attempt a well-versed try, "Skoo-y-lare Anderson." A few giggles ensued from the clump of teenagers gathered around the two. In response, the new girl flinched as if expecting the mispronunciation. The edges of her lips twisted downward as she politely made the correction, "Its pronounced Sky-lur, sir." "Oh, sorry," he apologized before directing her, along with the rest of the females in the class to the track. Despite the new excitement, the groan of dread could not be silenced.

I frowned. _Time to run._

Schuyler's Point of View

_Phew, glad that's over_. I sighed as I leisurely jogged to catch up with the other girls at the track's starting line. I was waiting, first in the row, when I first noticed the smell. The unique scent hit me like a wall of bricks. Instinctively, I whipped around to find the source- and I found it without a hitch. The smell was radiating off of a pretty human girl two rows over to my right. I took a casual whiff at the air again, only to find my first find correct. I couldn't, however, hide the confusion on my face upon the discovery.

She was human; of that, I was certain. So, why did she reek of vampire? I studied the girl out of the corner of my eye. She was taller than me by a few inches, putting her at a height of around 5' 6", and she had straight brown hair flowing past her shoulders. She was pale, much like the rest of the people in the small town of forks, but did that make her a vampire? Surely not.

The loud _bang_ of the coach's starter gun nearly made my bones leap out of my skin. The sudden start kicked my heart into a frenzy and frazzled my train of thought; it was only when the sound of feet beating against the concrete buzzed through my ear that I realized that the mile-long race had begun. With an embarrassed huff, I quickly kicked off and ran until I was alongside the seven other girls in the class. Not even five seconds later, I glanced over to see my competition. Seeing nothing, I whipped my head to the other direction. No one to my left, no one to my right- I groaned. Double oops. I slowed my pace until a few girls caught up and gave me the_ look_. Great.

I didn't have to worry about them for long. I was at the half mile mark when I became all the more acquainted with the concrete. "Oof!" I looked up to see the girls rush off, not bothering to stop or even spare a fallen runner a glance. Kind girls or what? _Well_, I thought, _At least it spares me _some_ embarrassment. _

I pushed myself up to my elbows and then to a sit. I glared at the culprit responsible for my fall. "Stupid shoe lace," I muttered with a frown and a hefty glare at the untied lace on my gym shoes. Only I could manage to be so klutzy. And that reminds me of an old saying: Misery loves company. And that's exactly when misery was granted its wish.

It was the pretty human girl who smelled of vampire that fell down right beside me.

_Okay_, I thought hiding a grin_, I take that back_. It would seem that I wasn't the only one who possessed such a supreme klutziness. She lifted herself up with a groan; her fingertips gently grazed her knees, which, unfortunately, had become painted by concrete burns. Ouch. Then, against my better judgment, I blurted out something out before I realized that I had; "Are you alright?"

She looked over as if she hadn't expected someone to be next to her, fallen. Curiosity gleamed faintly in her eyes as a small twitch of a smile graced her lips. She tucked a piece of her brown hair behind one ear and replied, "Yeah. You'd be surprised by how often this happens."I laughed, following the same logic myself, and climbed unto my feet. Standing, I offered a single gloved hand and flashed my famous crooked smile, "Same here. By the way, my name's Schuyler." She chuckled, seemingly happy to find a companion in pain, and grasped the hand held out to her. I pulled her up onto her feet with an effortless pull, prompting a squeak of some sort from the surprised girl before me. Her doe brown eyes seemed to sparkle as she answered, shaking the hand still in her palm, "I'm Bella."

"Favorite ice-cream?" Bella asked, the first word drawn out as she thought about the content to follow. I scowled and glanced upward to the ceiling tiles as I thought about the seemingly simplistic question. What did I like? There were so many flavors; how was one to choose just one? Ah, the complexity of choices. "I think I'm going to have to go with Mint Oreo," I answered, glancing back to my new found friend. As we walked past an open room, the wind created by one of the numerous fans set up around the building ruffled both of our hair. I felt the growing twitch of a smile as her scent filled the hallway. "Let me guess; yours is strawberry, right?" Her head whipped around, further spreading the berry scent, and her eyes widened with excited surprise. "How did you know?" "Lucky guess," I snickered as we approached the doors to the cafeteria.

Meet Isabella Swan. "Bella", as she threatened to be called, moved her to Forks from Phoenix, where she lived with her mother, to move in with her father to finish out the end of Junior and Senior year. Yesterday, she was the new girl, and had been for well over half a year; that is, as she happily thanked me, until I arrived and stole the title. Bella, as the move suggested, is an only child with separated parents. Our game of twenty questions, which we'd begun in P.E., continued to produce other interesting facts. Also, I learned that Bella had a boyfriend her in Forks, who she was completely and totally head-over-heels for, and that his sister, Alice, was her best friend. We also found out that we had more in common than our hair color and tendency to defy the laws of gravity- our favorite animal was unanimous, a wolf; the color we like varies by the day; and we both enjoy shopping, so long as someone else isn't picking up the tab.

Bella, in turn, met Schuyler Anderson, me. Bella, in this lovely game of questions, discovered that I live with my two eldest brothers, Jared and Jenson, as my parents are deceased. We move often, but we were living in Massachusetts for a few years before we decided to migrate to the other side of the continent. We, again, share another feat in common, our love of classical music (as well as a bit of a mix from the thirties through nineties). Lastly, she learned that I loved Mint Oreo ice cream and hot topic styled clothing (with a side of converses). She also asked a question, one I could not fully answer. Her second question had been, "Why do you wear that choker?" The piece around my neck was pure red lace, and it was an oddity in the town of Forks. All that I felt I could tell her was that the chocker had been a gift from family, which wasn't entirely fiction. It had been given to me by family, but what lies underneath…

Upon that thought, I moved onto a previous topic for my turn. Pushing open the massive doors to the cafeteria, I asked the fair brunette, "What's your favorite song?" A faint glimmer shined in her eyes; her response was nearly immediate, "Claire de Lune." I smiled in response, also knowing the piece. Well, actually I knew the _composer_ when he wrote the piece. But I wasn't about to tell her that.

Bella gestured for me to follow her; she stopped at the end of the lunch line and pointed towards a long table filled completely at one end and scarcely upon the other. The full end was filled with popular seniors, all talking animatedly with excitement. Their eyes followed our every move, I noticed; their whispers were none the better. At the other end, sitting on the very edge, were only two people- a man and a woman sitting across from one another. Both were stunning, and both were staring at me as if I were an alien about to beam them up to the mother ship. Okay, maybe the comparison was just my imagination running wild, but their staring _was _quite… unfriendly. Upon another breeze from one of the several large fans in the room, I discovered that a little hunch I'd felt nipping at me to be proven true.

Sitting, secluded from all of the rest were two stunning creatures. And I knew, without a doubt, that I'd found the source of Bella's smell.

Edward's Point of View

"Hey, have you seen the new girl!"

The shout came from the annoying, blonde impersonator occupying the noisy end of the table- _Mike_. Despite my efforts to tune him out, two words did not fall upon deaf ears; "new girl", that is what he'd said. For the first time, in what would seem to be forever, I found myself in a state of confusion. A new girl in Forks? Why am I only learning of that piece of information _now_? How is it that the mind reader is the last to know?

I shot a weary glance across the table to my "sister", Alice. I was instantly unnerved when her eyes mirrored my own questioning, panicked stare. With only a single glance, we both knew that something must be very wrong. If Alice was in the dark on this new enlightenment, then that meant that we were all in the dark. Alice's eyes clouded with escalading worry as her inner voice gained volume, _Edward, I never saw a new girl._ My scowl deepened as my fear became more than speculation. If Alice hadn't seen her, then that meant something _was_ wrong, and terribly so.

Alice's usual cheerful smile was nowhere to be found. Her amber eyes grew hazy, and all focus in her eyes dispersed as she slowly slipped away from reality. I remained silent, on guard, waiting for her to find the moment that had slipped by. I waited patiently so that I might see it, too.

"_Are you alright?"_

_The faintly feminine whisper echoed hauntingly and bounced around in both vampires' heads. The two followed the bell-like serenade with all of their senses, expecting to find the owner, but could not. They were, however, stunned by what they did come across. There, right next to Bella, were __translucent__ wisps of twirling, glowing white-grey smoke. To any human it would be only smog, but to the sharp eyes of the vampires, there was a chiseled figure made of cloud, although any specific details were nearly impossible to distinguish other than gender. From that, they could decipher that the figure was a small woman._

_Bella glanced over to the figure from the ground. Like any innocent human would, she faced the unseen danger with a friendly smile and replied, "Yeah. You'd be surprised by how often this happens." The figure in the smoke returned the gesture and stood. Then, the hand of the wisp was offered to her. Bella, being the girl that she was, took the hand, not knowing the action could start a chain events beginning with a lamb and ending at the slaughter. _

Neither one of us spoke. Neither one of us let up on our guard. Thoughts poured into my skull, one after the other, but none were as loud or prominent as my own. Who was this new danger? What did it want with Bella? Why could Alice not see it? That thought was the most baffling. Alice didn't make mistakes; Alice saw everything, as the subject of the vision decided it. It was true that her sight wasn't perfect; indeed, werewolves, for example, escaped her sight. But when the werewolves were involved, they knew so, as entire scenarios would disappear altogether. But this was different. This thing… the scene played out as all of her visions did, but with the single exception of a smoky cloud. It was as if it were something that shouldn't exist, as if it were something that Alice's vision had attempted to capture, but had failed as if the future she'd sought had slipped from her palms like smoke in one's hands.

"Claire de Lune." My sensitive ears instantly tuned to the voice- the voice of my Bella. I, along with Alice, looked up. We both glared. Bella wasn't alone. No, today she had a friend- a _new_ friend. Instantly, I went into vampire mode and sized up the possible threat.

The woman- no, I quickly corrected my mistake, the _girl_- stood right beside Bella. From a glance, the girl albeit reeked of oddities, most of which fell under the supernatural category. From my eye view, the girl was small; she couldn't have been any taller than 5'4" and she had a tiny frame and she was far too thin. That was a characteristic that even humans would have no problem seeing. The severity of her health, however, was hidden by their dulled senses and the apparel she chose to fit the curves of her body. In contrast, healthy auburn-brown ringlets fell from her scalp to her shoulder blades; wavy bangs swooped across her forehead to cast shadows of mystery over her porcelain skin.

Like her probable eating habits, her clothing choice was also of the popular variety, and just like the hidden severity of her health that set her apart from the others caught in the same crowd, her taste in clothing was slightly different, _odd _if you will. The "new girl" wore a pair of beat-up converses and the dark-wash jeans that everyone cherished in this day and age. Her top half, however, was what was just slightly different. Wound around her neck comfortably rested a lace choker. The lace was of a simple, intricate pattern; it seemed merely an accessory to most, but as I focused upon the accessory, I began to believe that she might have been using it to cover some type of blemish beneath it. For a top, she wore a simple white blouse with crimson red pinstripes, and over that she wore a black corset tied with a red ribbon. The sight wasn't unusual per say, but to the sharp eye, one would find a few oddities- one being the materials used for the blouse, which were undeniably designer and most likely an original made to replicate something far older; and second being the age and wear of the corset. Upon closer inspection, I found the collection of oddities to be vaguely familiar, from a time so far away that all trace had nearly left me altogether.

But none of those characteristics was the most peculiar, or odd, feature of this "new girl". No, the winning oddity most definitely was her eyes. In all my life, and a long life it has been, I cannot say I have ever seen any that could even hope to compare. Her left eye was a stunning sky blue; the color instantly made me compare the hue to that of the sky. She won, hands down. Her right eye was an astonishing emerald green. One glance at the color could easily bring any forest to shame. Not even Mother Nature could hope to capture such a hue.

Her skin, as I'd noticed before, was abnormally pale. Not quite vampire pale, though. It was hard to see (to a human, anyway), but her skin had a light peach color that glowed faintly when a sliver of sunlight peeked through the clouds and windows. It wasn't quite the traffic stopping sparkle of my kind, but it was there. And it wasn't normal.

The most supernatural oddity about her was her heartbeat. Yes, it was there, but it was very irregular. The beat was very quiet, so quiet that only one with the sensitive ears of a canine or a vampire could pick it up without the aid of a stethoscope. The rhythm was also off; it fluttered quickly. The only thing I could think to compare it to would be the flapping of a hummingbird's wings. The only other time I'd heard such an odd tempo was in a werewolf. Could this girl be a werewolf? I shot the theory down as quickly as I'd thought it.

The girl smelled of cinnamon and rain drops- a mix between the alluring scent of a vampire and the natural scent of a werewolf. Her footsteps, though clumsy, were agile in grace- a mark of a vampire. But she had a heartbeat; that alone pointed towards a werewolf. And she most definitely was not a human. All in all, this new girl in Forks was becoming a building mystery.

But the million dollar question was this; if she wasn't a werewolf, a vampire, or human… then what _was_ she?

Schuyler's Point of View

Ok. So Edward liked to stare. Yeah, I picked that up.

With caution, I followed my new found friend, Bella, from the lunch line to the table. Alice and Edward still continued to watch me as if they were hawks scavenging for potential threats to their nest. Their golden eyes narrowed for every step that drew me closer to them; their expressions clearly read that I was not welcome, that I was a _threat_. I struggled to strangle an amused smile at the notion; to think that they honestly believed that _I _was the greater threat in comparison to _their_ entire coven. I hate to disappoint, but I'm not _that_ big of a threat.

I set my tray down as I sat next to Bella on the empty side of the table; by the time we'd turned to approach the table, the girl, Alice, had moved to sit next to her brother. The image, in all entireties, was actually amusing. After sizing me up, the two had come to two very different conclusions. Alice dropped her panicked glare, and traded the gesture for a curious, if not cautious, smile. Her eyes danced with gleams and glittered with knowledge that many others would never possess. Her brother, on the other hand, did not drop the glare; instead, the heated gold of his eyes burned more with a fury of warning and suspicion. The amber orbs darted from me to Bella, demanding a silent compromise. I rolled my eyes in response; his glare became harsher. None-the-less, I offered a friendly smile; both siblings mirrored the action, although neither's smile quite reached their eyes.

A heavy sigh fell, again, from my lips. After the initial ice-break, things had turned for the better. As Bella began to tell them about how we'd met in Phys. Ed., their initial perception of me began to waver. Alice had lost her anxiety; her guard never wavered, but she did become more comfortable and the cheer that Bella had told me she'd possessed began to surface. Edward, however, was a lost cause. His eyes were harsh and cold as tundra, and they never strayed from his newly acclaimed "enemy". The action was understandable, of course; but that didn't make it any less annoying. I stabbed a grape with my fork and reflected the deadpanned glare of irritation. _He really should stop staring,_ I mentally barraged, seething quietly to myself, _If he doesn't lessen up soon, then the white coats are going to come and-_

I froze, mid-thought. Someone was trying to read my mind. Knowing all too well that having someone in my head, reading my thoughts, my _memories,_ was dangerous, I quickly retaliated in the best way I knew how.

Edward's Point of View

I was glaring at the girl when a thought hit me. Well, actually Alice's thought. I was so preoccupied with trying to figure out the girl, that I forgotten about my ability. I smirked victoriously. She couldn't hide her thoughts.

The smirk faltered when I realized in the same second that I hadn't heard it before now. I scowled and concentrated. For some reason, I had a hard time finding her mind- even though she sat less than a foot away. It took me an unbearably lengthy amount of time until I found it.

_He really should stop staring,_ she thought seethingly, _If he doesn't lessen up soon, then the white coats are going to come and-_

Her thoughts immediately ceased. I watched cautiously as every muscle in her body locked upon the intrusion. My eyebrows furrowed to show my confusion. Did she know that I was reading her mind?

My answer came as if she had been the one to hear _me_.

"ANYWAY YOU WANT IT- THAT'S THE WAY YOU NEED IT- ANYWAY YOU WANT IT!"

…

… What on Earth?

Soon a picture came with it.

"SHE LOVES TO LAUGH- SHE LOVES TO SING- SHE LOVES EVERYTHING- SHE LOVES TO MOVE- SHE LOVES TO GROOVE- SHE LOVES THE LOVIN' THINGS!"

I winced and recoiled away from the loud girl quickly. I, quite happily might I add, lost the connection to her mind and slid onto the corner of my seat to lean as far away from her as possible. I must have hissed, judging by the looks on Alice and Bella's faces. I paid them no mind, however. I could only glare at my new found _irritation_. I almost bared my teeth when she stuck her tongue out at me.

But she had convinced me of one thing. The girl was well informed. Somehow, she knew I was searching her mind, and she knew how to counter it. Only my family knew that little trick. But there was another thing. The girl's reaction- it was careful and, dare I say it, _playful_. It was annoying, but not threatening. A dangerous opponent would use threat. This girl did the opposite, although the result of distracting me was proven none-the-less; this girl screamed the lyrics to a Journey song and envisioned tap dancing sumo wrestling penguins. No, the girl wasn't a threat. But was she sane? Most definitely not.

I glared again at her for added measure. I could still hear the ringing bouncing around in my skull and groaned accordingly. I was going to have one heck of a headache for the rest of the day.

Schuyler's Point of View

It took every fiber of my being to keep from bursting out into laughter. It's been decades since I've had so much fun! It's not every day that you get to annoy a vampire. _And not get killed_, I added as an afterthought. Deciding I had annoyed the boy enough, I mustered up a smile. Playfully, I sat my chin upon my open palms with my elbows resting on the tabletop, and tilted my head until I was able to find his downcast eyes. Once I'd caught them, I beamed, a friendly call of surrender underlining the smile. He was annoyed, yet he didn't look away or glare. I took that as the closest I'd ever get to a compromise.

"The name's Schuyler."


	4. Chapter 3 Name

**Chapter 3**

Somewhere to Belong

"_Hello there, the angel from my nightmare  
the shadow in the background of the morgue__"_ –Blink 182 **I Miss You**

Jasper's Point of View

"Edward."

The statement came from behind the front door. I was sure it was Alice. A low, deep, irritated growl came next. Thinking there was danger, I stood from my seat on the white couch, white like the rest of the light colored scheme of the house, and appeared near the door in a fraction of a second. The noise got louder, and then the door swung open. Bella, Edward, and Alice trailed in. Edward was in a huff and the girls were a bit irritated. I used my ability to calm them all down.

With the tension gone, Edward stared blankly at me. Alice and Bella piled onto the couch and gave Edward the very same stare. Edward sighed heavily, and then whispered lowly in a volume only my kind could hear, "Carlisle." Immediately, Carlisle flew down the winding staircase and appeared instantly beside him. "What seems to be the problem, Edward?" Carlisle, an idol in all of our eyes, asked concerned. Edward glanced at the girls, then to the said Doctor. "There's a new girl in Forks."

Loosing interest, I crossed the room and sat on the couch perpendicular to the one Bella and Alice sat at. I picked up the remote and began flipping mindlessly through the channels. I didn't bother watching. My mind was stuck on something, someone, else.

"Alright," Carlisle nodded. He crossed his arms and waited patiently for Edward to address the problem. "Bella befriended her." Again, Carlisle nodded. "And she invited us all to visit her family's restaurant for its grand opening." Carlisle nodded, still awaiting Edwards point. Edward half glared at Alice, then turned to Carlisle in all seriousness, "But she isn't human."

Okay, I thought, that was _mildly_ interesting. _Another_ mythical creature in Forks? I wasn't entirely sure before, but it was official now. Forks must be the largest monster magnet on this side of the planet. Or maybe it was just Bella.

"Not human?" Carlisle raised an eyebrow. "Yes," Edward nodded, "I don't know what she is. She is neither a vampire nor is she a werewolf, yet she possesses characteristics of both. She's like some weird hybrid. She could even be the one killing all of those people in Seattle!" Carlisle looked deep in thought, as if he were searching old thoughts for something.

Alice chimed in, "But she isn't a threat! I'm sure of it." Edward stared irritably and answered in a flat tone, "She also knows of our abilities. Well, mine at least. She was able to kick me out of her mind, and she was only smoke in Alice's vision. Therefore, we know nothing of her and it would be unwise to go blindly into her home. For all we know, it could be a trap." A flash of recognition crossed Carlisle's face. Oddly enough, the older vampire hid a soft smile and asked, "Can you describe her to me?"

Edward seemed thrown off, but Alice was a beat ahead. She leapt up from the couch and twirled her way beside Carlisle, "She has a very unique style! I like her clothing choices. She has taste." Bella, much slower, joined Alice and adds, "She told me she was from Salem, Massachusetts, and that she has two brothers. She's also a senior like us." "She has dark auburn brown hair past her shoulder blades," Alice remarks, "And she's fairly short- like me, but a little taller. She looks like she would be 5'4" or so."

I froze. I glanced at the group in disbelief. If they said her eyes were differ-

"Her eyes are odd," Edward reluctantly pipes in, "One is blue and the other is green."

Oh, no. I turned away to stare at the television, my eyes widening. It wasn't a dream. She's not just a memory anymore. I really did see her. She's _real_. I barely heard Carlisle chuckle, and then ask, "What is her name?"

All three manage to answer, "Schuyler!"

The next few words out of Carlisle's mouth surprised us all. "Edward's right." Bella and Alice stared at him oddly, and then sadly. Edward relaxed in relief. Carlisle then added, "We should be the ones welcoming her. Therefore, we should invite _her_ over. Next week is a good time." There was a pause before, "_What_?" The stunned remark came from Edward.

I couldn't hear the rest of the conversation, though. My mind was still stuck at "invite her over." Not wanting to hear more, and clearly out of my mind, I rushed from my spot and disappeared out the door before anyone could say another word.

________________________________________________________________________

Several hours had passed by the time I was able to control my hysteria. The night had fallen and I was roaming the paved streets of Forks. I was in a state of shock and terror. My nightmares were coming true. The ghosts of my past were coming back to haunt me. This girl, I theorized after many hours, she must be a look alike. It was just a coincidence. I ignored the truth my vampire mind screeched out at me- there were no coincidences.

I sighed and looked up. I was surprised to see an unfamiliar business- a restaurant. Odd, I thought, I could have sworn that used to be vacant. I shrugged it off, but decided to check it out anyway. I don't know why I would go in, seeing as human food tasted like cardboard to me, but I walked up to the glass door and walked in anyway.

The interior was much like the exterior. The building itself was made from glass and several shades a gray brick. The walls were mainly glass. Gray bricks bordered the massive glass wall at the top and corners. But the glass barriers were only for three walls. The last main wall was purely brick; there was a room cut off from the open inside. The walls were harboring the kitchen and the bathrooms, I discovered.

At first, I thought the color scheme to be a limited decoration, but once I'd stepped inside, I found that the design and scheme served a greater purpose. Several black metal and glass tables and decorative metal chairs were splayed across the large room and complemented the wooden paneling of the floor and the contrasting hues of the building. The main source of light for the room, other then a few lamps, were chains of dangling lights. Although the ideas were capturing, it was not that set of detail that stole my attention.

Past the glass walls to the outside was a garden. Ivy crawled up over the bricks and even attached itself to the glass. A metal framed glass door in the wall was meant to open up to a patio where customers could sit outside in the garden to enjoy their meals. A little ways from that was a white rose covered arch that led to a miniature multilevel waterfall adorned in tulips and several other colorful flowers. Surrounding that were many different sections of color filled with dozens of various types of flowers all messing together to create an aurora of shades, tints, and hues. And outlining the entire backyard was a white picket fence covered with pink roses. The scene reminded me of something, but the recognition was from a human memory- a memory I had yet to recover.

But, again, that was not what captured my attention. For, you see, adorning the outside tables and chairs, in the garden and wrapping all over a short wall marking the edge of the patio were vines and patches of moonflowers. And just like that night, they were glowing and creating their own light. The orbs set the entire backyard alight.

Then a noise pulled me away from the sight. It was a bell followed by the soft sound of the door closing. I glanced over my shoulder to see that the door had finally shut and had rung the bell attached to the top when it did. It must have gotten stuck. But before I could turn back to the garden, I noticed something odd about the room.

There were no people.

"Is someone there? Sorry, but the restaurant won't open until next week." The slight European accented, angel-like voice called out from another room. It sounded like it came from the kitchen.

I froze, recognizing the voice instantly. After all, how could I so easily forget a voice that had been chiming unceasingly in my mind for the past century or so? I tried to move, to run away, but my feet stayed planted and my body did not so much as twitch. Again, the woman called out, but this time she was a little worried, "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. We are not open until next week."

And then the ghostly maiden of my nightmares appeared in both flesh and blood before me. Still I did not move, not even when she dropped the plate she was holding. Not even when her differently colored eyes widened in disbelief. Not even when I knew that she recognized me for what I was- a vampire, and her killer.

Schuyler's Point of View

Okay. When I got up this morning I'd expected the normal whispers and even a little drama. I was surprised to find a few vampires here, but I handled it. This, however, I did not know how to handle. It's not everyday that the vampire that killed you a century or so ago walks into your restaurant. That was a little past the normal expectations of your first day in town. So… how am I going to deal with this one?

What happened next was not what I'd planned, well technically I didn't actually have a plan, but if I did, this wouldn't have been it. I heard the plate I had in my hands shatter before I realized that I had dropped it. And, well, judging by the man's reaction, I'd assume that I looked pretty freaked out, which was sort of true, but you get the point. Before I knew it, the blonde had turned on his heels and bolted for the door.

But, quite frankly, I wasn't about to let that happen.

So, of all the things in the world that I could do, I shouted, "WAIT!" Yeah, that's definitely going to get him to stop. Good one, Schuyler. And when that little action failed quite sadly (as he didn't even so much as twitch), I improvised. And what did I mean by that, you ask? Well, dear, in Schuyler language that means jump like a frog, soar like an eagle, and tackle him like a linebacker. What? It's called improvising for a reason.

And he went down like sack of potatoes.

Jasper's Point of View

I can't believe she just tackled me!

I was stunned. How could a **ghost** catch up with me and even more so knock something as hard and heavy as a human-size statue down?! I struggled against her, but she straddled either side of my waist and pinned me down to the floor. How can she keep me down and fight my resistance?! It shouldn't be possible! It isn't possible for a **ghost** or **human**… but not for someone who isn't. I looked at the girl, not with terror of hurting her, but with curiosity. What _**is**_ she?

The beautiful girl closed her heterochromic eyes and began to speak, but as to whom I was not sure. "_Wait_. NOT Run. W-A-I-T," she sighed, then looked down at me and tilted her head a tad to the side and scowled. "Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for you? Jenson kept insisting that you'd died in the Civil War, but I knew you were too smart for that," she paused to look directly into my eyes. I didn't bother hiding the sadness and remorse in my eyes. I waited, knowing that she, the angel, the ghost, the demon would take my life. If she could hold me down like this, then the obliteration of my existence wouldn't be too much of a stretch. I didn't try to fight back or even resist.

The feelings swirled and burst inside my irises, and she reacted with complete surprise. But it wore off into a thoughtful expression. She must be hesitant to take out her revenge, I figured. I then went as far as to reach out with my gift and push the inevitable along with a strong rage. It worked, but not in the way that I had expected it.

The maiden's face turned angry, then she flinched and her features scrunched in frustration. She frowned at me and snapped, "Hey! Don't do that! I'm not going to kill you, _so stop it_!" I ceased immediately and stared at her bewilderingly, my mouth slightly agape. But she wasn't done yet. Not even close. "And now that we're on the topic, I'd just like to inform you that attacking a defenseless young girl in the dead of night was completely rude! And biting me- oh! Don't even get me started!"

I have to say, I don't think I've _**ever**_ been scolded for biting someone because it was _rude_. I highly doubt that even Carlisle would say something like that. What a strange girl. "But that's not really the point," she tilted her head again to catch my diverted eyes. When she did, she smiled, "I've been wanting to thank-you!"

… … …

What?

I didn't expect that- at all. I looked at her like she was crazy, which she must have been in order to actually thank the vampire that killed her. Which asylum did this girl escape from? The girl must have caught my drift and she quickly explained, "Oh, um, that probably sounds a little crazy. How can I put this?" She shifted her weight, which wasn't much, from her seat on top of me to become more comfortable. I didn't mind.

She frowned in frustration and tried, "Well, I'm thanking you for the vampiric power and the whole ability thing, but I guess I'm not thanking you for nearly killing me." She nodded to herself, then smiled at me, "So, again, thanks for the power, but not the whole near death experience." She then gasped as if noticing our position for the first time. "I am SO sorry!" She leaped off of me with a speed equal to that of my own. I don't know why, but as soon as she got off, the loss of the extreme heat of her body (heat beyond a human) made me feel colder. Some part of me wanted her back so I could harness the heat and keep it close.

"Sorry for knocking you down," She sheepishly smiled as she leaned down (I was still flat on my back) with a hand held out towards me. The smart, civil vampire in me wanted to reject her and run away for her own safety. The other half, the southern gentleman, couldn't reject a lady. I sighed as I grabbed her hand. The girl pulled me up effortlessly, but the pull brought me a little too close to her. She, too, seemed a little surprised by the closeness, but she politely stepped back in response. She smiled embarrassed and sheepishly replied, "Sorry, I'll try not to get too close. I can tell you're uncomfortable." I nodded absent mindedly.

She straightened her black knee length skirt and dusted off her crisp white button up shirt. She then said, "How rude of me. I never properly introduced myself. My name is Schuyler- Schuyler Anderson."

The words flowed out naturally, "Jasper Hale."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Jasper Hale."

"Likewise."

What a weird way to meet a girl, I thought. We spent the rest of the night sitting across from each other on either sides of the room. Schuyler did most of the talking, but I can not deny that I listened to every word and enjoyed every second that she was there with me. For the first time in a century, I felt at ease. I felt like I belonged.


	5. Chapter 4 Answers

**Chapter 4**

Interview with the Vampire

Jasper's Point of View

"So, Mr. Hale," She smiles brightly, curiosity shining in her eyes, "I have something to ask you. I've always wondered something about your kind." I tried not to chuckle at her overzealous behavior; I failed horribly. "Ask away," I smirked. I was curious also. What could this quirky angel ask about me? Would it be my eyes and my diet preference? Would it be about my family (or as to if I had one)? Could it be a question of my sanity? Or would she ask about how I became what I am today? Would she ask about the darkness in my past? I prepared for the worst.

"Can Vampire's swim?"

I couldn't find words to answer back. Okay, I have to admit that I didn't expect that. "Can Vampire's swim?" I repeated her question, trying to wrap my mind around her way of thinking. I must say that I was unsuccessful. Somehow, I doubt even Edward, who had the advantage of poking around in people's minds, would be able to understand her way of thinking. I answered her anyway, "Yes and no." "How so?" She quickly piped in, leaning closer from her seat at the other side of the room. "We do not float. We simply sink to the bottom, where we can walk. We do not require oxygen, so we can walk through bodies of water without a problem. So, I suppose your answer lies within your definition of 'swim.'" She smiled ecstatically and moved a few chairs closer. She inhaled deeply, and then fired off more questions.

"Do you really sleep in a coffin?"

"Can a stake through the heart kill a vampire?"

"Can you turn into a bat?"

"Do vampires have nightmares?"

"Do you have a reflection?"

"Do you find the smell of garlic repulsive or appealing?"

"Whoa! Slow down!" I chuckled at her enthusiasm. She stopped, chuckled, blushed, and apologized all at once. She looked down sheepishly, but couldn't hold back her inquisitive nature for long. I soon found her looking at me with questioning eyes. I held back a grin, although I could not hold it for long, "One at a time. I will answer as many as I can, but I would also like to ask a few questions of my own." "That's fair," She nodded in agreement, "I already asked one so it's your turn."

There was one question that bugged me; one that I could not bear to leave unsaid.

"I killed you," the words were drawn out and stressed, "How are you here, alive?"

She frowned.

Schuyler's Point of View

I was hoping, although the idea was foolish, that he would not ask me that. I sighed knowing that the notion had lost before it was ever put to the test. I answered with a frown, "That is a bit complicated. I would have to tell you something that might take up a lot of your time." He continued to measure and analyze every detail on my face. He answered instantly in his musical southern voice, "I'm a vampire; I live forever. What do you have to tell me?" I locked eyes with him and answered simply, "My story." He nodded and moved a few chairs and tables closer, hesitant with restraint, yet eager with anticipation. And so I began the tale.

"I was born on October 31, 1738, a day seen as evil by the puritan lifestyle in which I was born into. Add that to the strange colors of my eyes, and I became the village's worst nightmare- a devil child. The villagers of Salem, Massachusetts, still recovering from the Salem Witch Trails, saw me as an omen and demanded I be put to death as soon as possible. My father and eldest brother, Thomas, refused, and managed to get the town's people to allow my life. So, my mother and father, both Dutch pilgrims, hid me away on our land away from the town. I stayed away happily for 10 years alongside my family.

I had a mother, who was a radiant blue eyed beauty, a father, who was equally handsome and kind, and four brothers and three sisters. The eldest of my brothers was Thomas, who was eleven years older than me; he was the kindest soul there ever was and was loved and respected by everyone. He was also loved by me; he was my best friend, my only friend. And then there were my two other brothers, Jensen and Jared. Jensen was five years older than me and Jared was three. The two idolized Thomas and were both fun loving and alive. Jensen was strong and wanted to be a soldier like Thomas, and Jared was so smart and wanted to become a philosopher. And the last of my brothers, Felix was to be ten years younger. And then there were my sisters; Annabel, Renee, and Lotte. Annabel was Thomas' twin and had been married for several years and lived in Jamestown. Lotte was a year older than me; she was my mother's favorite, and she was also the most smitten. Lotte always was a flirt and usually ended up falling head-over-heels in love for a new gentleman every month. Renee was a year younger than me and was free spirited, but was also very clueless most of the time. And that was my family; they were all so happy and I was happy for them, and I was happy with Thomas. But happiness in that time only lasted for so long…

We received word a few days before my birthday. I was so excited because Thomas and Father- the only two people who seemed to care about me- had gone to Jamestown to attend to Annabel's urgent call; I had waited day and night for them to come back. But instead of my two favorite people in the world, it was a messenger on horseback. He asked for my mother, and when she came he told us. Thomas and my Father had been killed; all that they would tell us about there untimely demise was that they were drained completely of their blood. They said there was something loose in Jamestown, something that was killing. The man gave his condolences and then left. I didn't understand back then. I asked my mother when Thomas and father would be home. She only broke down in hysterics. Things only got worse after that.

My brothers- Jensen and Jared- left home. Jensen left first; he was 16. Jared followed suit a year later when he was 15. My mother, who had grown unstable in every way possible over the two years after the murders, was devastated financially. Her two eldest sons were gone and had left our once wealthy family to struggle in poverty. Matters only grew worse when news from my elder sister's brother in law came to us; Annabel, her husband, and her two children had died- drained of all of their blood, they said. It was only days later when my mother fell ill. At first, she was sick with a fever, and then she groaned about the 'voices' being to loud. Her illness had no name back then; now days it is referred to as Schizophrenia. Regardless, she hid the illness well, but her limits only stretched so far. The sickness began to devour her mind, and she became mad. She craved wealth and stability, which was what anyone would want, but she pushed too far. Her plan to reach her goals, however, was what made her illness apparent. And my mother's idea? She planned to sell _us_.

The 'voices', she explained, told her that Lotte, her most precious and radiant daughter would bring her the prosperity she desired. Mother went into the town every day after that statement. She searched for hours on end for a wealthy man to marry her Lotte off to. And after an exhausting search, she found a very wealthy gentleman passing through who was interested. She introduced the man, who could have passed for my grandfather, to Lotte and he almost had a heart attack right then and there. I had the pleasure of meeting the sweet, kind, yet lonely man, and I found that he would be a good match for my wild loving sister. The two agreed to the marriage and the date was set. But a few days before the wedding, my sister met another- a soldier. Lotte, being the woman she was, instantly fell in love. The two young lovers fled that very night of their meeting.

Lotte's departure ruined my mother's plan. The stress brought out her illness and the voices began screaming out in her mind. Desperate, she bargained with the heart broken man. Lonely, he agreed for a trade; my mother, afraid that my appearance would cancel the deal, chose the only other daughter she had- Renee. And Renee, not knowing what was happening and only eleven at the time, agreed. They were married that very day, and I never saw my sister again.

My mother, little Felix, and I lived comfortably for an entire year, but then the curse that seemed to plague the Von Curen name appeared again. My sister had died in childbirth; both mother and child were dead. Her husband died days later, and with him the money my mother clung so fiercely to. Her mental health had deteriorated by then and she gave into the craziness that had been threatening to consume her since my father passed. She went out on the hunt again, but this time she took all of the precautions and locked me away to prevent my escape. After many weeks, her savior and her fiercest opponent rolled in. He was God to her; he was the richest man (and of the youngest; he was only 27 years old) in the colonies and even in England, his homeland. But the man, whose name I shall never forget, rejected her, along with every other offer he received. There was no swaying Gabriel John Henry III. But my mother did not give up, for she believed that she had nothing to lose. She stalked him and bargained and did everything she could possibly think to do to get him to consider her offer. But he would not budge. It wasn't until she heard some servants gossiping about his biggest weakness that my mother gained back footing. You see, she thought it was a miracle, this Gabriel John Henry. For what she heard solved all of her problems concerning her demon child. You see, Gabriel was a collector. He obsessed and indulged in all that was unique, beautiful, and strange. My mother told him that she had something for his collection, something he could not refuse.

My mother brought Gabriel home the following day; it was my 13th birthday, I remember. The moment he saw me… he smiled and laughed. He turned to my mother and promised her anything in exchange for the ultimate prize to complete his collection- me. He joyously praised me for my odd eyes, my date of birth, and my displacement in a world I was far more advanced than. My mother was taken with him or more his money. As for me, I stubbornly refused to cave in like every other girl. I suppose it was my own voice ringing in my mind that told me something was wrong with this man. It was the way he looked at me, like I was his possession. I didn't trust him, and as he stared at me with those acidic green eyes, I felt something that I had never felt before… fear.

My mother made the date; I was to be wed in three days. Gabriel, who was overzealous, convinced my mother to hand me over before the wedding. I spent two days in hell before I was able to escape from him. A servant took pity on me and helped me sneak away to the forests. Once I was under cover of night and backwoods, I ran. I ran for six days straight, and I was still a human mind you. On the sixth day, I stumbled into Jamestown and bumped, quite literally, into a familiar face. It was my brother, Jared. He was in town on business for a friend in Philadelphia, where he had been living. He was stunned to find me there alone and even there at all and he began questioning me, but I could not answer; I had passed out from fatigue.

When I woke, I was sitting in a pub with my dear brother in front of me. As soon as he saw me awake, he forced me to eat and explain why I was there. I graciously ate all that I was given, and then told him the tale; I told him off mother's illness, Annabel and Renee's passing, Lotte's departure, and my arranged marriage to a monster. At first he didn't believe me and wanted to send me back home. I cried and pleaded with him for hours, and I won. Jared took pity on me and agreed to keep silent. He even offered himself up as my guardian; I gleefully accepted. But as we were eating and he was telling of his life, a ruckus started before us. A man had been flirting with the women and had apparently talked to the wrong one, for another man grew angry, punched him, and threw him out. We quickly exited the building to find the man getting up. And surprise, surprise, it was our eldest brother, Jensen. We helped him to his feet. To make matters short, I told him the same thing that I told Jared, and he too, after much pleading, agreed to keep me a secret and became my other guardian. But the story doesn't end there. We planned together that we would flee westward where there were less people and a slimmer chance to be found, but there was a flaw."

I paused in my story. Jasper never once tore away his gaze from mine and his amber eyes smoldered, mesmerizing me. I hadn't noticed that we had moved during the story. Now, we sat at the same table and only a few feet apart. Jasper, who had been completely absorbed in my story, blinked. He then asked, "What was the flaw?" I smiled in amusement, realizing that the story was not completely necessary. Somehow, I had a feeling that Jasper knew that too, but he listened anyway. Truth be told, the whole reason that I was telling him my story, which had never before been said, was because I needed to tell him, someone. And I trusted Jasper, as odd as it sounds. I trusted him enough with a secret- my past. I took a deep breathe and continued.

"The flaw, you ask? The only problem I had with running away was what I left behind. I worried for Felix. If I were to disappear, there would be no telling what my mother would do to him. I had to go back for him. And despite my brothers' protests, we did. And our plan was a success, but the events that followed were disastrous.

We successfully stole Felix away and narrowly escaped the men, all working for Gabriel, of course, as we moved from state to state. Once we hit Jamestown, we hid Felix away; we left him in the care of an old family friend until we would be able to return and take him back once the coast was clear. We managed to shake off all of our pursuers in Georgia, but we made a mistake; we thought we were safe. We were wrong.

They came in the middle of the night. Over the two weeks of my disappearance, Gabriel had stretched out his contacts until he only had one more- the king's men, the soldiers. He sent an entire battalion after us. They found me first. Once I was in their clutches, they found my brothers, or as they called them, my 'kidnappers'. They were about to kill them when I yelled out that I knew them not; that they were mere strangers who had taken me in for the night. I'm not sure how I did it, or why they agreed, but they listened to me and let them be. My brothers were safe, but I could not say the same for myself.

I was dragged all the way back to Salem. Within days, I arrived to find my _fiancé_ alongside my mother; both bore happy smiles as if I had simply been lost and then found. They joyously took me from the soldiers and continued to play along as if my return was their biggest joy, but I knew something the soldiers did not. My captors were the most talented of actors and actresses, but no matter their talent, they could not hide the truth in their eyes. They could not hide their anger, as I could not hide my terror.

I was locked away for two weeks, the longest, hellish two weeks of my entire existence, even now, until the date of my wedding. After two weeks of neglect, malnutrition, and complete darkness, I was thrust into the light, fit into a white dress, and then forced down a long aisle with crowds of people on either side of me until I reached the walks end at the priest. I was in such a daze that I understood nothing but the two acidic green eyes before me. I was married that day, I later realized.

I was Schuyler Lorena Gabriel Henry for two years of complete _hell_. I believe to this day that if it were not for my loving brothers', who had come back to Salem when I was married to wait for a chance to escape, visits everyday and the long periods of time where my _husband_ was out for business, I would have given up all hope and ended my pained existence. I suffered for two long years until the day arrived- the day when I would escape. You see, my brothers and I had been waiting for the opportune moment to run away, and with nothing to hold us back, our plan was surely to be a success. So, one night whilst Gabriel was away, the servants, who I had befriended over the years, smuggled me out. Free from my prison, I joined hands with my brothers and fled into the night.

We ran for weeks until we couldn't tell left from right. In our haste, we had gotten lost somewhere in unexplored lands. We were lost for several more days, that is until we came upon the one thing that would change our lives forever. When we found it those many years ago, we thought God had reached down from the heavens to give us a great gift to make up for all of the pain and suffering and all of the hate and things that had gone wrong. Now, we realize that God did not reach for us; we were just unfortunate, as we always were. Really, the thought of a curse upon us was not such an absurd idea."

I paused again as the malice for Gabriel finally faded in my eyes. Jasper watched with an expression that I could not understand. I had a sense that he was overwhelmed with so many extreme emotions (as that was all he could feel- extreme; otherwise, his power was ineffective, as he had told me) in response to my story. I couldn't blame him. I continued on, finally getting around to answering his initial question.

"It was a spring at the base of a tree. But it wasn't any tree; it was the biggest, thickest tree we'd ever seen. There was ivy and flowers and creatures of every shape, size, and color all around it. It was beautiful and so filled with life. So, battling fatigue and awed by the find, we drank from the pool. Then, as if for all of our troubles were repaid, we found a river nearby and followed it to Virginia, and from there we traveled to what is now called Georgia. And again and again, our new found luck shined. We were never caught, never questioned, and we were able to settle down. I even heard that Gabriel had been killed; suicide, they said. But as many things in life do, our luck ran out. After five peaceful years in Georgia, we, as well as the other pioneers, began to notice something… very wrong. Everyone around us, the families we had come to know, were getting older and older, yet my brothers and I remained the same as we did five years prior. Our new family dismissed our oddity saying we were just blessed with youth. But their opinions began to waver when they noticed that our injuries would heal far too fast, or that we could stay awake for days on end without a hitch. And then one day Jared was bitten by a rattlesnake; he wasn't fazed for even a second.

They couldn't deny it then. They all banded together and… overthrew us. They carried us off to the shore and locked us into a partially submerged cave. We were panicked; we tried to escape, but we could not. But we calmed, or as calm as one could be at such a time, agreeing that we would be able to get out if we took our time and thought about the situation. That was what we believed, until the rising tide. At first we didn't know why more water was coming into the cave; we didn't know about the rising tides. But, soon, we were able to figure out what the cave really meant- it was our watery tomb. The tide continued to rise, faster and faster by the second. We drowned in minutes. But… we awoke in the morning, once the water had receded. We were soaked and still trapped, but we were alive. We could not die, we realized.

We soon learned that immortality was not our only curse. Jensen was frustrated. We could not get out, and he was so frustrated that he smashed his fist into the wall. Well, _through_ the wall. We escaped and ran until we reached unsettled land, which is now known as Louisiana. We later discovered that we had changed in more ways than one; now, we had super strength, a higher temperature, sharp senses, immediate healing, eternal youth and immortality, and so much more. We were content with our life for many years until people began to expand and move throughout the land. We relocated several times over the years and at one point in time, we somehow ended back at that same, accursed tree.

So… we burned it."

I stopped and smiled, "And I'm sure you can guess the events that would follow. We ended up in many wars and moved all around the world. I suppose our being in Texas when the Civil War broke out was mere chance. And then finding others that shared similar likeness to us… well, we didn't count on that."

I smiled up to Jasper, who had remained silent throughout the entire story. I chuckled as the wheels continued to turn in his head. Smirking, I playfully teased, "I take it that I've answered quite a few questions. So, tell me, can you turn into a furry flying creature whenever you wish, or is that another myth?"

He gave me a long blank stare, "Myth."

We then continued our '_interviews_' until the sun came up signaling the dawn of a new day.


	6. Chapter 5 Waiting

**Chapter 5**

An Invitation

Jasper's Point Of View

It had been only Monday when I met Schuyler. Now it was Friday. And every single day I had gone to see her. We would talk and I would stay with her from night until dawn. Over the last seven days, I had learned so much about the mystery girl. I learned all about her likes, her dislikes, her living family, her old home- a lot about her. I, however, had not found out how exactly my vampire power affected her. Now that I thought about it, I still didn't know a lot. But my ability to resist her blood is getting better. I can control the instinct enough to sit beside her. It would probably take some time, I thought as I lay in my large bed. I shifted unnecessarily. I couldn't wait to see her again. I'll never make fun of Edward and his human again. Speaking of Edward…

"Jasper."

I found out around Wednesday that the others had noticed my routine departures (except for Emmett and Rosalie, who are in another country at the moment) and were quite worried. I told them it was nothing and for them to not worry, but they did anyway. Alice was trying to figure out what was going on with me by using her ability, but for some reason all she could see was smoke. I had a feeling it was Schuyler's doing, be it intentional or not. Somehow she had managed to deflect my powers too, and at first I believed it to be because I was the one who bit her. But, now, I wasn't so sure.

Edward waltzed into my room and stared at me worriedly. I avoided his demanding eyes and thought of something else. I knew that Edward knew Schuyler, but I figured that letting him know that _**I**_ knew her was probably a bad idea. I knew that he would make me stay away so I wouldn't kill her, and so she wouldn't kill me. But I couldn't let that happen. Schuyler, to me, was like heroine. I just couldn't stay away and I couldn't give her up. I didn't want to leave her.

"Jasper," He sighs as he stopped trying to catch my gaze and just stood in the doorway. "We're worried about you. If something is going on-" "It's nothing to worry about," I quickly repeated the same line I'd recited every day for the past week. Edward growled in irritation, and then stormed out. Don't get me wrong, I love my brother, but this girl… there was just something about her. She was special.

I sighed when I caught sight of the big red numbers on my alarm clock. It was only 7 AM. I wouldn't be able to see her until late tonight. I growled lowly and stared at the ceiling, waiting until the time would come when I could see her again.

Schuyler's Point of View

I sighed again. Man, was it a long day or what? It had become my new routine. I would go to school for eight dragging, boring hours, go home to work on a few details with the restaurant alongside my brothers, my brothers would leave at around 9, and then Jasper would wander in and we would talk until the early morning's light. Then I'd go to school- yeah, you get the picture. And here I was- sitting, waiting for the day to go by so I could rush to the restaurant and wait again. Interesting life, huh? True, but it is all worth it in the end.

You see, I've never had someone like Jasper before. Yes, I did have my brothers and friends- like Bella and Alice, heck, even Edward! But Jasper was different. There's just something about him that draws me in. I think that… if I were to tell him my entire life story, my secrets one day… that he would understand. But that's only a thought. As far as my secrets are concerned for now, they shall remain just that- a secret. No need to jump to conclusions so early in the game, I thought to myself.

"Sky?"

Oops. Heh, I bet you've realized by now that I've been in a bit of a daze. Alice noticed too. "Sky!" I turned my face and attention to the spiky haired pixie. Alice smiled when I responded to my new nickname. The smile turned upside down when I blurted out the vocal half of my response, "Huh?" Drat. So much for trying to look like I was paying attention, I thought as I shrugged sheepishly. Alice smiled evilly. Uh-oh, the little vampire has something up her sleeve. Hopefully, it doesn't include me, unless it's a prank on Edward. In that case, sign me up!

"Bella and I were just discussing the sleepover I'm having at my house tonight." Bella looked over at Alice with the same look that I probably had on my face- a look of confusion. "Sleep Over?" Okay, now I was curious. Can a Vampire have a sleepover? What was she intending on doing about the whole "sleep" thing? What a paradox, I internally chuckled as I was narrowly able to hold in a mocking smile.

I twirled a hefty portion of spaghetti onto my fork from the massive mountain of food and shoved it hungrily into my mouth. Hey, I like food. So sue me. Alice smirked once I had swallowed it, "Yes! Remember, you agreed to go, too!" I dropped my fork and looked at the conniving woman in bewilderment. I was about to protest, having plans for tonight- and every night for as long as I shall stay in Forks-, but she gave me **the** look. You know- the Alice look- the one where she stares at you with those big, innocent, you-better-do-what-I-say-or-else golden eyes. Jeez, that was overkill. I guess it's going to be a girls night out. I had nearly forgotten about Edward, who was on a "camping trip" since yesterday. He wasn't supposed to be back until tomorrow.

I am neither a fool nor am I suicidal, so I nodded like a wimp and poked at my food with a pout. What was I going to do about Jasper? I know that he would be there waiting for me to open the door and let him in. He would be waiting there for me, but I would not be there. I frowned and continued to pick at my food as I pondered my next move.

_________________________________________________________

"Hey, Alice, can I borrow your phone?" "Sure," Alice smiled to me as she handed me her slim pink razor. I flipped the device open and typed in the number for the restaurant. The phone rang twice before a male with a deep voice answered, "Hello?" I looked across the emptying parking lot as I spoke, "Hey, Jared." "Lorie! What's up? Who's phone-" "It's my friend, Alice's," I interrupted him, and then half smiled at Alice when I said her name. Alice smiled back, but she seemed a little too… happy? That's kind of weird. She leaned in a little closer to hear the call. "Hey, Jare, I'm going to stay the night at Alice's, you know, the girl I told you and Jenson about Monday. Bella's also coming. There shouldn't be too much to do at the restaurant today. We can't do anything until the electrician gets there tomorrow-" "Chill, Lorie! It's OK. Jenson and I can take care of things for once. You have fun with your friends. Just…. Be careful." I smiled as I kicked the tip of my shoe on the concrete out of habit, "I will. Love you, Jare, and make sure Jenson doesn't burn the building down… again." "That was ONCE!" I heard Jenson yell in the background. My smile widened as the two got into an argument. "Love you, too, Lorie!" Jared laughed into the phone when Jenson caught their lunch on fire (or so I heard). "Bye, Jare." I hung up the phone.

Bella, who was listening alongside Alice (although Alice didn't even need to be within a mile's distance to hear it), chuckled. She then said, "I'm driving with Alice in my car. We can stop at your house to get your stuff, then mine, and then we can all ride in my car to Alice's." I nodded in agreement, then beamed and pointed to my pride and joy- my 2007 Chevy Silverado. "Just follow the big black truck."

___________________________________________

I pulled up the long drive way to my new home. I pulled into the circle in front of the house and parked on the curve near the front door. Bella's old red truck, which I instantly fell in love with, pulled up behind me and parked also. Bella and Alice looked at my house. Alice beamed and said, "I love your house!" Bella added her two cents, "Yeah, I didn't know Forks had houses like this! It's beautiful!" I chuckled as I, too, stared at the house. What Bella didn't know is that she was right. Forks didn't have houses like this. Jared, Jenson, and I found this house when it was rotting and about to be foreclosed, so we bought the house and fixed it up. Now, it stands as a lovely blue house hidden in a forest of trees at the end of a long driveway. I loved it for its simple exterior and complicated interior. Just wait until you go inside.

I waved to Bella and Alice and ran inside to grab my things. No, I'm not going to tell you what the inside of my house looks like- not yet. I'm going to save that as a surprise, but I'll give you a hint. No two rooms are alike. In fact, every single one is completely different than any other room of the house. But that's not the point here. The point is that I grabbed some stuff, threw it in a bag, left the house, and then jumped into Bella's truck. Off to the Cullen's we go!

_______________________________________________

One word- wow. The Cullen's sure knew how to live in style. Their house could probably compete with the seven wonders. The house was big and beautiful, and the majority was made with glass, kind of like my brothers and mine's restaurant. I think glass is a Vampire thing, but I'm not completely sure.

I was mid gasp when Bella walked up beside me with a knowing smile, "I thought the same thing when I first came here. Wait until you see the cars." Cars? I scanned the property and found a garage- a really _BIG_ garage. Nice clothes, big house, fancy cars- the Cullen's know how to live. Well, technically they don't_ live_, but… you get the point. "Alice?" I turned to the dancing woman as she twirled up the steps to the front door. She stopped and pivoted around with a knowing smile. I didn't have to say it, but I did anyway. "Your house is AMAZING."

I looked at the house with excitement and curiosity, but something- a pang in my chest- ripped the welcomed emotions away. Surprise struck me greatly, and I raised a hand instinctively to clutch at the pain that was foreign to me. It took me a few minutes, even as I entered the house, to figure out the long forgotten source of my mysterious pain. I scrambled to find the reason, and the image of a golden haired, amber eyed boy flashed through my mind. Jasper, I thought. I clutched at the spot again. It fluttered and beat and I felt its odd rhythm flow through my veins. The pain was my heart.

What has this beautiful god done to me?


	7. Chapter 6 Reunion

**Chapter 6**

Football in the Rain

"_It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog."_

-Mark Twain

"This is my home," Alice beamed as she danced about the spacious room. As soon I set foot in the house, I was able to find out one more thing about vampires. In addition to their fascination with glass, white seemed to be a favorite color among the race. "It's beautiful," I smiled as I too twirled around to check out every angle of the living room. I nearly fell to the floor when a few blurs rushed down the staircase. My mouth gaped open.

"You're back," Bella smiled as she instantly trotted over to her boyfriend's side. He smiled crookedly at her and gathered her up in his arms lovingly. Then he noticed me and remarked flatly, "And you brought a friend." I paid him no mind, for my attention was on the man who had come down the stairs with him. It would seem that he, too, recognized me. I couldn't stop the massive smile that spread across my face, nor could I stop myself from what I would do next.

"CHARLIE!!!!!!!!!" I screamed it loud and proud, then pounced onto the young, blonde haired man. His strength was nothing in comparison to my over zealous action, so naturally, he fell. Charlie, as I had dubbed him several centuries before, simply chuckled and hugged me back with a polite, "It is good to see you too, Lorena." "It's been far too long," I still beamed as I straightened up from the hug, but I still, unnoticeably, stayed in the same sitting manner as I did when I met Jasper. The position did not bother me, nor did it bother Carlisle, but the others did not share our enthusiasm.

"Carlisle?" A soft, kind feminine voice sounded from the staircase. Everyone looked over to find a motherly woman standing at 5'6" with caramel-colored hair; she also had a heart-shaped face with dimples, and her figure was slender, but rounded and soft. Carlisle looked up from his spot on the floor and smiled at her reassuringly, then turned to me and said politely, "Perhaps now would be a good time to explain. How does tea in the kitchen sound to you?" I nodded as I got off the blonde man, "Still as English as ever, I see." "But of course," The English man smiled as he stood within a fraction of a second. He dusted himself off, (As if there was actually a thing as _dirt_ in this clean house, I scoffed amusingly) then gestured for everyone to file into the kitchen.

Carlisle pulled out a kettle from one of the numerous cabinets in the massive kitchen. He filled it with water, and then put it onto the stove. He then turned to all of the wondering eyes in the kitchen. He smiled and started with an introduction, "You met my children I take it. But allow me to introduce Esme, my wonderful wife." He reached out to grasp her hand and pulled her to his chest in a loving embrace. Esme smiled serenely and cuddled into his chest, and then she looked to me with her warm, golden eyes and kindly replied, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lorena." "Lorena?" Edward blurted out in confusion. Bella and Alice nodded in response.

I nodded and began my explanation, "My full name now is Schuyler Lorena Anderson, which is actually my real name, except for Anderson. My family's last name was Von Curen. Anyway, when I met Carlisle in 1780, I was going by Lorena Marie Sanders." Instead of an explanation, my new found friends seemed to find the information to be confusing. "1780?" Alice questioned, scowling at the surprise. "Yep!" I chirped. "You're not human." Edward said it flatly as if he were repeating an obvious statement. "No. Human I am not." The words floated from my mouth, but centuries of bitterness laced them. No one, but me, seemed to notice. I silently thanked God for that.

"What are you?" Edward asked with a defensive, calculating stare. I caught his eye and he added to his question, "You aren't a vampire, nor are you a werewolf. And you just admitted that you were not human." I sheepishly half smiled and said, "And here I thought your first question would be how I knew about your kind, or more specifically Carlisle." "That can be our next question," Alice piped in. I nodded in agreement, "As for your first question, you are partially correct." "Partially?" Bella voiced the question the other two were thinking. Carlisle, who I had met before I was a Vampire, and Esme watched and listened intently. "Yes," I chuckled playfully, "I am not a werewolf." "So you _**are**_ a vampire?" Edward questioned in complete wonder and amazement.

"I'm surprised you haven't tried to read my mind, Edward," I smirked tauntingly. Again, his expression came up flat and he answered, "Funny. Excuse me if I do not wish to listen to your excessively loud singing while watching dysfunctional penguins dance about in your mind." The smirk on my face widened; Alice and Bella laughed alongside Carlisle. "But as for what I am-"

My confession was cut off by the sound of the front door opening and closing. Two someones entered the living room, but froze. I heard a confused low growl, and then a man appeared at in the kitchen doorway. I eyed the beastly man in unbridled curiosity. The man was tall, burly, extremely muscular, and looked the same as the rest of the Cullens (as far as skin, eyes, and being a vampire goes). He had slightly curly dark hair and dimpled cheeks, which oddly enough reminded me of a child. Carlisle took the initiative and gestured to me, and than the large man, "Emmett, this is Schuyler. Schuyler, this is my son Emmett." "Hello," I greeted with a warm smile. Emmett, who had come to the same conclusions as Edward, stared at me in confusion and amazement. But then another person joined him. In a split second, an amazingly beautiful blonde appeared by his side. She glared at me immensely, but I just looked at her with the same curiosity that I had when I had first seen Emmett. The woman was astoundingly beautiful, even for a vampire; she was tall, statuesque, and had long, wavy blonde hair. But despite her appearance, she gave off a frosty, unfriendly vibe. "And this is Rosalie. Rosalie, this is Schuyler."

I nodded politely to the newcomers. "You were saying," Edward interrupted. I turned back to him and almost laughed. He was very irritated at the sudden interruption and was begging for me to continue. "Yes," I started again, "As I was saying, I am not a human. I am in fact a vampire, well sort of. I am one of three that the mythical world refers to as 'The Immortals.'" I paused for effect. I glanced around the room and found everyone, even the newcomers, listening intently. "The name was given to us by the Volturi, who had somehow caught wind of us over the years. But that really has no relevance to the matter, I suppose. The matter at hand is that I am a vampire- just not completely. Hmm, well, I suppose the best way to explain would be to give you a summary of what happened. You see, like all of you, I was born human. But when I was fifteen, my brothers and I were lost in the forests in the north of the new world, aka America, when we came upon a spring. We all drank from it, but we did not realize its effects until two years later when we were settled in what is now known as Louisiana. We, as well as the others around us, began to suspect something was wrong. We didn't age. And after a certain drowning and a snake bite incident, we found that we did not die.

There has never, nor will there ever be anyone else like us. We are one of a kind, I suppose you can say. We added on to the oddity when we became involved in a war of vampires. Simply put, the battle was a nasty one and each of us managed to be bitten. The effects were limited, as you can tell. The only vampire features we obtained were your added strength, senses, tough skin, and memory. We also have sharp teeth, although not quite as sharp or as deadly as a vampire's, and we also have the agility. Oh, and our normal temperature, which had been around 110 or so, was lowered to 105."

"And if you're wondering," I added as an after thought, "I met Charlie, which was the name he went by back then, in 1780 while treating injured soldiers in Philadelphia. I bumped into him, literally, when we both went to attend to the same person. We hit it off from there, and became fast friends for the time. You can imagine his surprise when I, a seemingly human girl, asked him if he was a vampire."

I paused, waiting for someone to say something. "1780?" Edward questioned; he looked at me curiously, "Just how old are you anyway?" Bella glared at him for the remark, "Edward!" I laughed at them both, "No, it's alright, Bella. Body wise, I'm fifteen. Number wise, I'm… somewhere around 270 years old. Wow, I'm really old." The last thought made me stop to ponder over my new found thought, "Jeez, that's practically older than _dirt_." "Ahem," Carlisle glared playfully at me. I smiled sheepishly, "But the older we get, the wiser we are." He nodded approvingly. Jeez, I laughed inwardly, a vampire with an age issue.

"Strength?" Emmett cracked a challenging smile, "What kind of strength?" I smirked back, "Enough to pin down a fully fledged vampire." "Schuyler," Alice started, not needing to be precognitive to know what would happen next. "A little thing like you? Hah, I would squash you like a bug!" I retaliated, "Looks can be deceiving, big guy." "Is that a challenge, little girl?" His eyes glittered with amusement. "Maybe it is," I responded, now standing before him. The sight must have been amusing, I thought, a little 5'4" girl who barely weighed 90 pounds against a colossus giant like Emmett. To me, it was a challenge that I was all too excited and willing to except. Okay, so I know what you're all thinking. Emmett would be the obvious winner, right? Hah, not even close.

But unfortunately, my intended competition was interrupted by another guest. The door opened and footsteps echoed throughout the house. My body froze, all except for my rapidly beating heart. The guest in the living room shared my surprise and ceased all movement. The others glanced at the wall separating the rooms with a worried glance. Carlisle quickly jumped in to introduce the new member of the family, "Allow me to introduce the newest member of our family-" Carlisle did not have to introduce him. Faster than a blink of the eye, the honey blonde man of my dreams appeared at the entrance to the kitchen.

I stood silent, waiting for him to either acknowledge me or reject me. I wouldn't blame him if he said he didn't know me, though. If he did, then I would play along. I mean, who would want their family to know that they knew the girl he or she killed a century ago that came back to life and is now a friend (of some sort)? His honey amber eyes caught mine, and he seemed to catch my drift; _seemed _being the keyword here.

"Schuyler," He greeted me with a polite bow of the head. What a southern gentleman, I thought as I too nodded curtly, "Jasper." The Cullens, including Bella, looked between us in confusion. "You know each other?" Esme asked, quite baffled by the entire situation.

"We've met," Jasper said as we both shared our own signature smile.

Jasper's Point of View

"Met?! When?!"

Edward voiced the panic laced question. I ignored my brother for the moment to glance at the girl leaning against the marble island of my family's kitchen. She returned my gaze, but with an intense curiosity sparkling in her blue and green orbs. She gave a curt nod, which I assumed to mean the rest was up to me. It would seem that she was leaving what I wanted them to know up to me. I silently made a note to thank her later.

"We met in the Civil War," I answered simply, but my eyes never once left hers. Carlisle was the one to speak next, "You mean that you met her in the vampire war." Carlisle pieced the puzzle together once I confirmed his theory. "Oh!" Edward quickly read Carlisle's thoughts, and he too let out a gasp of surprise. "What's going on?" Surprisingly, it was Alice. How did she not see this coming? Oh, yeah; that's right. Schuyler is probably immune to Alice's visions because she's a hybrid (Yes, I'd finally figured it out. Alice has never been a hybrid, so naturally, she can't see one).

The rest of my family- Emmett, Esme, Rosalie, and even Bella- also voiced their confusion. "I bit her." That cleared the confusion up quickly. Schuyler dropped my eye contact and turned to everyone else, "You know the rest." When she turned back to face me, I felt something- an odd emotion- swell up inside my chest. And when she smiled, that feeling burst and warmth spread throughout my entire body. I was torn between the half of me that feared the oddity and the half that embraced it. "I met her again when I stumbled upon her restaurant. We were both… surprised to see each other."

Emmett started to laugh. We all looked at him like he had finally flipped his lid. The giant man asked me with true curiosity, "She hit you didn't she?" Schuyler glared at him and crossed her arms. "Somewhat. Why do you ask?" My brother burst into another fit of laughter and beamed at Schuyler, "I knew you were a little fire cracker! Way to go, short stuff!" She tried to look irritated, but the grin at the corner of her mouth gave her away. I don't know what possessed me to do so, but a low snarl rattled in my chest. I didn't like how my brother was acting, like he was close to her. My family looked at me in concern, but not Schuyler. She looked me in the eye with a scowl, and then she smiled sheepishly and mouthed an apology. What in the world? What was she apologizing for? What a bizarre girl.

I looked away in embarrassment. Schuyler quickly jumped in and started a conversation, "I wonder, Carlisle, are you and your family interested in sports?" I glanced at the brunette from the corner of my eye. Where was she heading with this? Carlisle seemed to think along the same lines, "Yes, occasionally, we play when a storm is on its way." And as if on cue, thunder boomed from outside the house. Schuyler's eyes twinkled in response, "Anyone up for a good game of football?" Emmett chuckled evilly, "You're going down, fire cracker." This wasn't going to end well.

* * *

"This is where you guys play?" Schuyler questioned in wonder as she twirled in a circle to take in the large meadow. "So, who's playing?" She threw a football up in the air then caught it. Esme offered to be the referee, as she knew us all to well (and that we tend to cheat time to time), while Bella announced that she would watch from the sidelines and be the official cheerleader. "Three against four, then," Carlisle nodded as he looked at us each. "It's Team Emmett against Team Fire Cracker!" Emmett instantly announced as he moved to one side of the field and Schuyler moved to the other. "I call Sky!" Alice chimed as she danced to Schuyler's side where the two high-fived. Rosalie appeared at Emmett's side, not needing any time to choose. Edward, who seemed to love nothing more than to irritate Schuyler, joined Emmett's team. Carlisle waited for me to choose next. I looked over to Alice and Schuyler, who both waved and bounced about in anticipation. Then I looked to Emmett, Rosalie, and Edward, and smirked. As if I really needed to think about it. I instantly appeared between Alice and Schuyler.

Emmett burst out laughing once he saw my competitive smirk, then announced to Carlisle, "Carlisle, you can join Team Fire Cracker, they'll need all the help they can get!" I heard Schuyler chuckle beside me. What did she have up her sleeve?

After deciding that Emmett would have the kick-off and we will have the defense, our team huddled together, like Emmett's, and we began to plan. "Alright," Schuyler whispered lowly in a tone only a vampire close by could hear, "Someone give me the other team's stats. We can build up from there." Alice informed her instantly, "Edward has an advantage because he can read our minds and he is fast, but not as fast as Jasper. Emmett is completely brute strength, as anyone can see. And Rosalie will probably back-up Emmett. She can be sneaky, so the others will use themselves as a decoy while she runs towards the goal. And as for us, I can see the future so I will know all of the plays they intend to execute. Carlisle is an all around good player, so we can use him for just about anything. And finally, Jasper is the fastest and knows how to create plays and tactics." "Alright," Schuyler nodded, "And I have a few tricks of my own, too."

* * *

Wow.

I'll never underestimate a woman ever again. For the past few plays, Schuyler has been scoring one touch down after another. Her team work, although I'm sure that she'd do well on her own, was remarkable. I've never seen anyone move the way she does! We had just executed a play where Alice and Carlisle played the role of decoy to distract Emmett and Rosalie while Schuyler and I (I had the ball) took off for a touchdown. We were half a mile away when Emmett jumped in front of us. Schuyler used a hand signal that we had earlier concocted telling me to run to the right, and I did. She, however, took advantage of Emmett, who redirected his charge at me, and ran straight for him. Imagine everyone's surprise when she ran up his back and leaped 50 feet or so into the air with her arms wide open. I had laughed in amusement and thrown the ball to her. She caught it easily, and then proceeded to do a few flips in midair until she reached the ground- right in the other team's end zone. She threw the ball down and jumped around laughing, and then Alice appeared next to her and joined in. Even Emmett, after snapping away from his disbelief, joined in. We had won, all thanks to the melodic beauty before me.

I must have been smiling. I didn't really notice the firm grip on my shoulder until the owner spoke, "She's one of a kind, isn't she?" I nodded absentmindedly as I watched her dance about with Alice and Bella. "Jasper," he spoke, a stern urgency lacing his tone. I grudgingly turned away from her. "Carlisle." The young blonde doctor sighed as he ruffled his hair. "Does Lore- Schuyler have anything to do with your disappearances every night?" I didn't answer at first. "And if she does?" He sighed again and closed his eyes in deep thought, "You've killed her once, Jasper. She won't be as lucky the second time around; I can assure you." I said nothing, but wondered silently as to what he meant when he implied that she would die. Wasn't she an Immortal? She had even said herself that she could not be killed. Carlisle opened his worried eyes, "Can you control it?" He meant my ability to resist her alluring blood. I looked away from him again to see her. This time she was talking to an unenthusiastic Edward, who pretended to be annoyed, but was really hiding a smile. Esme soon jumped into the conversation with a happy air and a friendly sparkle in her eye. Even Rosalie couldn't ignore or dislike her. She stood by her husband Emmett and smiled while he laughed at something Schuyler said.

They were all taken with her, I realized. And from what I had heard on the way here, I knew that Carlisle was too. She had that effect on people; they couldn't help but feel drawn to her, as I was and am. Schuyler turned in my direction and caught my eyes as she had many times before. Her smile lit up every corner of my mind, and I knew that if I my heart could beat, it would be racing and on the borderline of failure. I knew the answer to Carlisle's question. I no longer had any doubt.

Rain suddenly pelted from the black skies and lightening flashes illuminated one cloud after another. The water fell from the heavens in sheets and drenched everyone in only a matter of seconds. Edward quickly grabbed Bella and raced to a large oak to keep them both dry. Schuyler, however, made no move like Rosalie and Esme, who ran for cover to shelter themselves from the storm. Schuyler instead raised her arms out and spun around in circles until Emmett knocked her down into the mud. Then, she burst out laughing and kicked his legs out from under him so he, too, fell into the pit of mud. Alice quickly left the mess to join Bella, but Edward rushed over to aid his brother by throwing mud balls at Schuyler. His plan, however, fell apart quickly once one ball missed and hit Emmett directly in the face. Emmett and Schuyler agreed on a momentary truce, and then proceeded to sling several mud balls at the young, unsuspecting man.

Mid throw, Schuyler stopped to look around; she ceased her search when she found me. She beamed at once, and despite the brown coat and wet appearance she now dawned, I couldn't help but be taken by her. She then called out enthusiastically, "Jasper! Come join us!" She stood still for a moment as if waiting for me to appear by her side. By then, I didn't even spare Carlisle a second glance. I instead spoke my peace, and then joined the heavenly maiden, who in turn welcomed me with a warm smile.

Carlisle's Point of View

His words still echoed in my ears, and they made me smile at the son I so proudly called my own. I joined Esme under a tree and we watched the four roll around and throw mud despite the downpour. His words still rung in my mind,

"_Be rest assured, Carlisle. I vow never to harm her. …Some things in this world… can become stronger than a vampire's lust for the most desirable, sweetest blood."_

Jasper laughed loudly when Schuyler pelted a mud ball directly into Emmett's face. Emmett frowned; He picked up an armful of mud and flung it towards the buoyant duo. Schuyler shouted and turned away, but Jasper simply tilted his head in the opposite direction. Both were completely covered from head to toe in the murky substance. Emmett let out a booming cackle louder than thunder itself; he groaned when Edward enacted his revenge by tossing a landslide size amount of mud over his head to bury him from the shoulder down.

It was then that I noticed confirmation in Jasper's words. In that instant, I knew everything would be alright. The reassurance was so clearly painted in their eyes. Jasper would gaze at her with a shining light behind his orbs, while Schuyler would return the gesture with her own sparkling irises. It was only a matter of time. I smiled as I watched the two pounce onto a freed Emmett and knock him to the ground. I chuckled and held my wife close to me. Yes, everything would be alright.


	8. Chapter 7 Scars

**Chapter 7**

Her Angel

"…_And our scars remind us that the past is real…"_

-**Scars **Papa Roach

"March!"

Esme repeated the command to her naughty children- Jasper, Emmett, and Edward. She added, "I want everyone spotless and clean! And don't even think of leaving any dirt trails on my clean carpet!" The three disappeared up the staircase once she was done. I tried to hide the smile that threatened to break out when I noticed that they were all careful not to leave even one drop of the brown substance behind. Esme twirled around and faced me with a sheepish smile, "I apologize for my rudeness. You may use the guest bedroom to clean up; there are fresh towels and a robe laid out on a stool. Take all of the time you need." She then gave me the directions to the room (which was upstairs), and I was on my way.

I found the room easily enough. Again, I found the same pale theme. The room was fairly large and mostly made with white and gray marble. A large Jacuzzi/bath was in the right corner and was made from marble and white acrylic. Over the bath was a large mirror, and when I moved a step closer, I saw the two eyes- one green, one blue- of a muddy young girl looking back. I frowned at the image, the very same image that I would see every time I looked into something reflective; the image was the same- as it had been for hundreds of years. I quickly looked away and looked around at the rest of the room. I glanced at the tall closets with drawers next to the tub, and smiled when I saw my bag sitting against it. I silently thanked Alice, and then redirected my attention to the other side of the room. In the other corner, there was a glass shower; and next to that, a colossus white vanity. Pulled way from the vanity was a small cushioned chair with folded white towels and a short white (probably knee-length) robe. I then spotted a bottle of bubble bath sitting on the vanity. I picked it up to read the label, "Cinnamon." I smiled lightly, almost laughing aloud when a chain of memories related to my odd scent of cinnamon and rain drops came to mind.

I turned on the water to the lowest temperature and poured some of the bubble bath into the tub and let the water run. I quickly peeled the clothes that clung to my body off and tossed then in the waste basket; I'd been around long enough to know that nothing was going to get those stains out. I then slipped into the tub's icy depths with a content sigh. Bubble baths were always a pleasure; I always enjoyed the simple bliss. My body was normally so hot, so every time I came across something cold- be it a refrigerator, ice water, or even ice cream- I found myself in heaven. The icy temperatures always lowered the extreme heat and allowed me, if only for a few minutes, to feel euphoric. I enjoyed my bath for several minutes until my body warmed the water. Once that happened, I decided to hurry up and scrub the mud from my pale, white skin.

Jasper's Point of View

I sighed heavily. Somehow, my shower had broken beyond repair. Normally, I wouldn't care, but Esme is determined to make sure everything and everyone in the house is flawless, which does not include her sons running around looking like something from the black lagoon. I sighed again and glared at the broken pipes. Only one person came to mind, "Alice." I smelled her scent all over the bathroom, but I couldn't understand why my best friend would want to break my shower of all things. I shook my head in disbelief and decided to pay her a visit.

* * *

"Hello, Jasper," Alice chirped as I stood at her door. She wasn't even looking at me, so I assumed that she had seen me coming. "Alice," I growled lightly as I glared just as lightly at the pixie like woman, "Why?" "Why what, Jazz?" She responded ever so innocently as she tilted her head in my direction to catch my solute through the corner of her eye. My eyes narrowed, "My shower is broken." "That's very unfortunate," she sighed dramatically, "I suppose you will have to use the guest bathroom." She shrugged off my glare, "I would think that that room would be occupied." I could only assume that Esme would welcome Schuyler to use that bathroom. "No, Schuyler is using my bathroom," Alice disagreed as she nodded toward the door leading to her very own bathroom. I listened closely to hear a heartbeat echoing in the room. So she was telling the truth. I shrugged and walked off, heading towards the guestroom.

Alice's Point of View

I couldn't help but chuckle as the pieces began to fall into place. You see, Carlisle wasn't the only one who noticed the way Jasper looked at Sky. No, almost all of us did, and we all decided to play cupid. Or at least I did. I chuckled after a new vision flashed across my eyes. The road those two were on was not an easy one, but I had faith in them. The fact that I could see the future helped, but the belief was still there. They would make it and come out victorious; and their surprise? Well, that's a secret. I chuckled again.

"What's so funny, Alice?" Bella asked as she walked out of my bathroom. She stared at me oddly, but I grinned in response, "Nothing of interest." She shrugged, knowing some things were better left unsaid. She then thanked me for letting her use my bathroom.

Jasper's Point of View

I was in deep thought. I was pondering the day's events. I was wondering why Alice broke my shower. I was wondering about what Carlisle would decide after hearing my words. I thought about my brothers, and I thought about the new girl in my life. I was contemplating so intensely that I didn't notice the heartbeat in the room or the strong smell of cinnamon until I opened the bathroom door and walked in. I looked up as the alluring fragrance burned my senses and instantly seized my attention. And there she was. She was halfway standing in the water, which barely covered her lower backside, as if she were about to get out, but she was not facing me.

The maiden was striking and incomparable. She had curves in all the right places and her skin glowed although there was no light other then that provided by the dim ceiling fixtures. Her wet hair fell past her shoulder blades in thick, large ringlets. I couldn't look away. She was just so… I was at a loss for words, for there were none that could describe her. She was so… amazing in every way possible.

A high pitched squeak tore me from my gawking. Schuyler quickly dropped down into the bubbles and stared at me with two big eyes that closely resembled a deer's in headlights. It was then that another detail of her skin registered in my mind. "What did you see!?" She cried out as she sunk even lower. She wasn't referring to her naked state, however. She was referring to the state of her bludgeoned body. The site horrified me, but not in a disgusted manner; it was in worry.

Her back held white hot scars as well as pink. Her entire back was marred and mutilated. The damage to her back closely resembled what happens when a bear rips a person to shreds. It looked as if chunks of her skin had been torn off, and then the rest was slashed with a whip. The wounds, which were many, overlapped and all seemed to be at different points of healing. Some of the scars looked to be years old, and others months. Some of the scars and lashes were short and reached from her tailbone to mid-back. Some were far longer and reached all the way from her tailbone to the base of her neck. The site was a horror show, even to a vampire of my stature. My eyes trailed across her neck to see the mark I had left upon her, and then trailed over the arms that covered her chest. The arms, too, had scars, but these were slimmer and shorter, and less noticeable. Scratch marks and defensive wounds, I realized. A few more scars, although less noticeable, even to a vampire, lingered on her skin above her collar bone. These wounds were different; they looked as if the skin had been ripped apart from the inside out; she had once broken her collar bone.

"You were tortured…" The words were meant to be a thought, but they slipped from my mouth without my consent. Schuyler flinched and shifted awkwardly. She was uncomfortable and afraid. I used my ability to calm her frantic nerves, and she relaxed at once (I wasn't able to actually feel her emotions-other than the ones that were strong, like her fear- but I was able to affect her mood, with some effort). "Can you turn around for a minute, please?" She asked me with guarded eyes. I nodded and did as she asked. I could hear her climb out of the tub and walk over a few paces. I then heard a rustling of fabric. "Okay, you can turn around now," she mumbled in a quiet, timid voice. I turned around at once to find her differently colored orbs, but she evaded me. We stood in silence.

"Please…"She struggled for words, "Don't say anything…" "If you do not want me to, then I will not." She nodded, "Thank-you…" Her words trailed off.

My eyes scanned over her fragile form. She wore a plain cotton long sleeved crimson shirt and black basketball shorts. Oddly enough, she also wore a pair of crimson and grey stripped knee length socks and a gray lace ribbon tied around her neck. It was weird, but on her it was perfect. I took note of how all of the clothing covered her scars.

She looked me directly in the eyes; her stare was lifeless, dead almost. The detachment in the otherwise animate eyes threw me off guard and, as much as I do not wish to admit, it terrified me. Her tone matched her eyes, "I suppose you're wondering how it happened, aren't you?" I dared not answer her. She instead answered for me. "What are secrets when you live forever?" She diverted her eyes and pulled out a purple cushioned stool from under the vanity and took a seat. She gestured for me to do the same, but I remained where I stood. She nodded and began, "It…is not a pleasant story. It is not a story that should see the light of day, but I will manage a few highlights. Yes, I guess just a brief summary will do." "You don't have to tell me." I could feel the pain radiating off of her like heat from the sun. I could only imagine what would happen once she started her story. "But I do," She whispered setting the eerie theme. I reached out farther with my gift to calm her, but she stopped me by shaking her head. "Just… listen."

"Do you remember the night at the restaurant when I told you how I became what I am?" I nodded as she breathed in a shaky sigh. "Do you remember the man, my _husband_, Gabriel?" She spit out the name as if it were acid; again, she emphasized the word "husband" and laced it with malice. "He was not a… kind man. He was an extravagant actor, I'll give him that, but it was a lie. He played the nice, charming man, but behind the façade… he was a monster." She stopped as emotion returned to her eyes. She trained her eyes on me, "You believe you are a monster. You are gravely mistaken."

Her eyes lost focus and her words of woe began, "He was a human by species, but humane, he was not.

"His father was worse than he. He was raised by a man who was as mental as he was; his father was head of Parliament in England and served alongside the King of England, King George II. And as the saying goes, "Like father, like son." His father appeared fair and just, but behind closed doors, he was a torturing, sadistic…

Gabriel would get mad. He feared the loss of control, and so he was very possessive. If a man would so much as look my way, the said man would disappear the very next day and never be heard from ever again. If I were to leave the room in which I was confined, I would be locked away in the cellars for days on end without as much as a sliver of remorse. No matter how careful I was, I always managed to do something wrong…

The consequences dealt to me were severe. I-I … excuse me, but I do not… can not go into detail. I will leave it up to your imagination, for I'm sure every wrong that you could think up would be similar or lesser than what I was given. After the first time I escaped, he grew… desperate. I was literally locked away in his absence and while he was there I was to never leave his sight. Again, the consequences of my actions were severe, if not more dire. The torture continued for days… I had never been so close to death nor had I ever wished so much for it like I did in those few days…"

She looked at me then. A small smile graced her face, "For all my life, I'd feared that one day I would turn around and find him there behind me, ready to take me back to that horror of a life. It wasn't until I met you, when you gave me your power, that I felt… safe. You gave me the reassurance and strength that I so desperately needed, and a part of me began to realize that he would never be able to find me. You made me realize that my greatest fear was unnecessary, for Gabriel could not chase me from the grave. You gave me hope and life, in some sense. In a way, I've always thought of you as an angel- as my very own guardian angel."

I couldn't think of anything to say in response.

_Not a monster?_

Her words had echoed in my mind, yet those three stuck.

I contemplated all of her words again, and then smiled in return.

"… Your very own Guardian Angel."

I reformed her words into a promise- a promise that I silently swore to keep at all costs;

Schuyler would never be broken again.


	9. Chapter 8 Stories

**Chapter 8**

Do I Dazzle You?

Schuyler's Point of View

"Wow, you went all out." I gawked at Alice's idea of a slumber party. Alice's room was filled completely with anything and everything a teenager would want for a party. She had a big plasma TV, hundreds of movies, every snack that you could imagine, pillows, blankets, stereo, and the list goes on. Alice may not be human, but man, does she know how to throw a party! "So," Alice smiled as she twirled around the large room, "What do you want to do first?" We both looked at Bella, who was still in awe. She, however, snapped out of the state to look between Alice and I, "Um, er, Schuyler?" I frowned at the name, "Bella, I consider you a friend, so please, call me Sky." She nodded and smiled, "Sky." I nodded and smiled. "Hmm," I looked around the room, "How about a movie?" Alice and Bella agreed, and Bella (under force) picked a random movie. Alice popped it into the DVD player and we all sat around to watch it.

And of course, like every other sleepover, the movie goes unwatched. "So, Bella," I smirked, "How did you meet Eddie the worry wart?" A twitch of a smile crept onto her lips despite herself. Alice chuckled having already figured out that my picking on her brother was all in good fun. "I saw him on my first day at lunch. We didn't actually meet until my Biology class. I sat next to him and tried to be friendly, but he didn't want to be near me." I swiveled around on Alice's giant bed to face her. My eyes wide, I couldn't help but give in to my curiosity, "You mean he didn't like you?!" I couldn't even so much as _imagine_ the two love birds apart. She smiled softly and explained, "He was drawn to my blood; my blood is irresistible to him. In other words my blood is special. So, Edward tried to stay as far away as he could." I nodded in understanding, "Special blood? I've heard rumors about how each vampire has one person whose blood is completely irresistible to them. They call them their 'singer'." She nodded. "Then how did you two get together?" "That's somewhat complicated…" Bella responded with a light blush. Alice, being the little psychic that she was, answered for her, "Edward gave in around the time when Bella was almost ran over by a van." My eyes widened like saucers, "You were hit by a car?!" "No," she chuckled recalling the memory, "It was icy out and Tyler's van slid in the parking lot. The car almost rammed into my car, with me in front of it, but Edward rushed in and saved me. Of course, he denied saving me when I asked him about it. He simply said that I hit my head too hard. Eventually, we grew closer and I guessed what he was." "And you don't mind?" "Not at all," She smiled happily. Aww, I thought. What could I say? I was a sucker for love stories.

I turned to Alice next, "What about you Alice? I don't believe I know your story." She looked downcast at that. She proceeded to tell us about how vampires have a hard time remembering their past life because of the difference in memory- a vampire's was much more detailed and clear in comparison to a human's (A trait not carried over to me; my memories were even more alive). She also told us of how she finally found out about her past after a rouge vampire (and also a tracker), James, came to Forks and attempted to kill Bella.

Alice was born around 1901 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and was kept in an asylum because she had premonitions. She was changed by an old vampire who worked at the asylum in order to protect her from James, the same tracker vampire who was hunting Bella. After doing some research, Alice found her grave and discovered that the date on her tombstone matched the date of her admission to the asylum. Through her research she additionally discovered that she had a little sister named Cynthia, and that Cynthia's daughter, Alice's niece, was still alive in Biloxi.

"So your family lives on," I mumbled, deep in thought. A slight twinge of jealousy panged in my heart, but disappeared as fast as it came. I wasn't sure whether to feel bad for her loneliness or happy that she knew she still had family and knowledge of where she came from. So, I simply nodded. Bella said something to Alice, but I didn't hear it. I was preoccupied with a noise at the end of the hallway; someone had been pacing at the end of the corridor- and for quite some time. I frowned and leaned closer to the sounds of soft footsteps. My eyebrows furrowed as the person walked closer to Alice's door, only to pause and turn back around. I dismissed the actions until the person decided to reveal him or her self. I tuned back into Alice and Bella's conversation.

* * *

Pfht. I blew a piece of my hair out of my eyes as I glared at one of the walls in Alice's room. I was irritated; I had grown accustomed to talking all night with Jasper or busying myself with last minute preparations for the restaurant's grand opening. To say it simply, I was restless. I rolled over to find Bella passed out and muttering Edward's name. I looked over her to see Alice relaxing peacefully; her eyes were closed and her body was slack, but she was a vampire so she was not sleeping. But she didn't move or make any type of recognition that _I_ had moved, so she must have been out of it. Watching for even a twitch, I carefully rolled off the bed and onto my feet on the carpet. She did not move. I noiselessly walked over to the door and slipped out into the hallway. Not sure what to do next, I let my feet guide me.

I walked around the Cullen home for a while until I came upon the kitchen. From there, I snuck out the back door at the side of the house where the wall was entirely glass. I roamed around outside until I found a nice swing with a canopy over the top that was placed to overlook the forest and river. I sat down and admired the site. I was awed by the refraction of the light from the starry night that made the rolling river shimmer and shine. I leaned back into the cushions of the three person swing and used one foot the push the swing backward and forward. I was soon lost in the beauty of the night.

Jasper's Point of View

I growled again in aggravation. I had been tossing and turning all night. I may not need to sleep, but my irritation was driving me to such a high point of insanity that I could not even relax. I sighed and rolled over again to glare at the wall of my bedroom. Her laugh chimed and echoed in my skull and replayed over and over as if taunting me with what I had been so wrongly deprived of. There I go again, I cursed myself. I've grown far too attached to her, to Schuyler.

I wanted to talk to her; I wanted to stay up all night with her and hear her silly questions and listen to her ample stories. Her very presence, as much as I hate to admit it, has become my day's greatest (and possibly only, depending on whether I can win any bets) highlight, my greatest joy. It is true that she is under the same roof as me, but I haven't had the chance to talk to her ever since I accidentally walked in on her in the bathroom. I know the time between then and now has not been long, but… I miss her. I tried visiting her earlier, but my feet and my nerves kept me away.

I sighed again and stood from the bed. I paced across the wooden floor of my bedroom. With another sigh, I leaned my forehead against the glass wall, not that I could feel the chilling temperature. The lack of feeling reminded me of her; how her skin was so blistering hot. But, then again, every little thing reminded me of her. Even now the wind's melody reminded me of her melodic voice.

Hold on.

That _is_ her voice.

My attention snapped instantly to the back yard. My acute eyesight immediately zoned in on the swaying swing. She was there, singing as she usually was. My eyes closed as the sound calmed me instantly and fully. The words drifted in the winds current and penetrated the glass walls of my home.

"_This is my life,  
It's not what it was before  
All these feelings I've shared  
And these are my dreams,  
That I'd never lived before_"

I'd heard this song many times before, but listening to her now… it was as if I were hearing it for the first time. The words, they meant something to her, I could feel the overpowering emotion, no ability needed, lacing the melody. Then, as I had every time before, I found myself drawn to the source, to Schuyler. Faster than the time it took for her to finish the verse I was outside right behind her as she continued to swing back and forth.

"_Somebody shake me 'cuz I...  
I must be sleeping…_"

She did not hesitate or even pause as I came into her line of vision. I noiselessly sat down beside her and continued to listen.

"_Now that we're here,  
It's so far away  
All the struggle we  
Thought was in vain  
All in the mistakes,  
One life contained  
They all finally start to go away  
Now that we're here,  
It's so far away  
And I feel like I can  
Face the day,  
I can forgive,  
And I'm not ashamed  
To be the person that  
I am today_"

This time she did stop. She tilted her head in my direction and smiled, "Couldn't sleep?" I smiled in amusement, "I misplaced my coffin." She continued to play along, "O, that's not a very good thing to misplace, Mr. Hale. Did you check the basement?" Instead of continuing, I changed the subject to the initial question, "Why aren't _you_ sleeping?" She blanched for a moment, then snapped her head away fast enough to get whiplash. I did, much to her dismay, catch the faint red tint that spread across her pale cheeks. I chuckled bashfully knowing fully well that if I could, I would be blushing just as hard as she. It would seem that we both shared the same problem. She peeked through her wavy brown hair at me and tried to hide her growing grin. "Hey, I asked you first," she replied as she turned to face me again. I chuckled in utter content, happy to have the girl I'd grown accustomed to right at my side.

I scooted all the way back on the swing and stretched out my legs so I could rock the swing back and forward. Schuyler, who had been pushing the seat back and forward earlier, lifted her legs from ground and tucked them over at her side. We sat in a pleasant silence and marveled at the beauty of the night.

"Hey, Jasper," Schuyler whispered as she stared unceasingly to the stars. "You can call me Jazz for short," I unthinkingly blurted out. "Jazz," the words sounded like a chorus of angels as they fell from her lips. "Yes?" I watched her out of the corner of my eye. "Do vampires have an obsession with glass, or is that just a Cullen thing?" I laughed wholeheartedly at her curiosity. Her nose scrunched as the look of distaste passed across her features. The intent curiosity shining in her mismatched eyes only made me laugh harder. "Hey!" She frowned once I doubled over. She too bent over and caught my eyes, "I'm serious!" I collected myself and instantly went back to leaning against the cushions. Schuyler followed suit. "I believe it to be a Cullen thing."

She laughed and fired off a round of questions, "What do you guys do with all of your free time? Are there any other Vampires here in Forks? Is there _anything_ else in Forks? And music! What is your favorite band?" I cut her off by placing my hand over her mouth. One of her eyebrows lifted as she stared at me expectedly. This girl got excited far too easily. "Schuyler-" She cut me off as she swatted at my hand, "You can call me Sky for short." "Sky," I nodded, my own eyes alight with bliss, "I'll answer one at a time." She pouted but agreed. "I'll answer the first one. We all do different things with our free time. Sometimes we read, unless you're Edward; in his case, you read all of the time. Alice is usually shopping or she is looking into the future. Emmett and Rosalie…Carlisle works and Esme renovates houses. I listen to music or stroll about, but as of late, I've found myself spending the night talking to a certain girl I know. What about you?" The smirk never left her face as she replied, "Well, let's see… I tend to read, beat my brothers at video games, run a restraint, take midnight strolls, sing, and as of late, I've found myself spending my nights talking to a certain golden eyed boy that I know." "Boy?" I questioned, my eyebrow lifting at the term, "I'll have you know, I'm a twenty year old southern _man_." "You mean you _look_ like a twenty year old man," she countered, the fiery passion of her soul burning in her eyes, "In reality, I'm way older than you. So, yes, compared to me, you are a _boy_." And then she stuck her tongue out at me. Hah, older than me. Sure, I thought rolling my eyes.

"So," she started as she adjusted her position. She shifted her entire tiny frame to face me. She swatted at a stray piece of hair, but it stubbornly fell back into her eyes. Before I realized what I was doing, I had reached out a hand to tuck the loose lock behind her ear. The back of my hand trailed across her cheek before my arm fell back to my side. Hiding her blush, she continued, "Are the Cullens the only supernatural beings in Forks?" Something in her eyes told me that she somehow already knew the answer. "Besides you and your family? Yes. But… in La Push, there is something else." Her eyes lost focus as if she were recalling a past memory. I answered her before she could ask the question, "Werewolves."

"And now for my question," I recaptured her attention. I held her gaze, "You are a vampire, correct?" She nodded. "Then, do you drink blood?" I had been wondering for the past few days whether this odd, beautiful girl was one who fed off the living or if she was something entirely different. She was quiet for a few minutes before she answered, "It is complicated." She turned her gaze to the floral pattern of the seat. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, "It is true that we do not drink the blood of others, but the… desire for it is still there." She paused to trace the curling ivy print, "I suppose you could say we are blood thirsty. It's the main reason why we were in so many wars. Blood is somewhat irresistible to us. We see blood, and we want to see more. As awful as it sounds, the only way we can contain the thirst is to flock to where it is most abundant, which at that time and forever more will be war. The bloodbaths and never ending blood shed eases the burning we feel in our throats, and as much as we wish it to be untrue, we need it. When we first became what we are, we were repulsed by our craving and thirst, but we all gave in once we discovered that banning the substance made us into… monsters. We've found that a war every fifty or so years is the easiest cure for the blood lust, as we call it. But we still have to be careful around humans. If a human starts to bleed too much, we get a little crazy. But thanks to Carlisle, I've been able to contain the lust and have been able to actually help the humans in the same way that he can. I still have to be careful, though. You never know."

Schuyler's Point of View

"Jazz?" The beautiful blonde man snapped out from his daze and made eye contact. I felt my face heat up, again. His eyes were _smoldering_. Yeah, it's not everyday that you get to see that. The usual solid amber had taken the form of molten gold. The captivating element swirled around his irises and the dawn's early light set them ablaze. I found myself lost in the endless pools. And then, I blinked.

"Jazz?" "Hmm?" The simple reply was enough to put an entire symphony to shame. "Are you… _sparkling_?" He, too, blinked. He then looked at his exposed arms to see the light of the sun refracting off of his skin like a diamond. A smirk suddenly graced his lips, "Do I dazzle you?" Somehow, I had a feeling he stole that line from Edward. I answered none-the-less, "Yes. Yes you do." I stood from the swing and headed towards the house, realizing that the sun was rising and my bed was empty. Curious, I peeked over my shoulder at Jasper. At first, he was still, and then he became flustered. But then, he smiled to himself and watched the sun rise over the tree tops and set the river aglow as if it were on fire.

Then, as usual when I thought of Jasper, something in my chest began to flitter and pound with life. The feeling, odd but warm, I realized for the second time since I met the man, was my racing heart.


	10. Chapter 9 Fall

**Chapter 9**

Fire and Ice

Alright, just a _little_ bit farther. Almost there…

"Late night, Schuyler?"

Damn.

Note to self: all attempts to sneak into the room of a vampire without being caught are automatically a failure.

Alice beamed at me from her spot on the bed. I stared blankly at her. Bella grumbled in her sleep, "Edward… pancakes…" I gave the girl a disbelieving look, and then returned my attention to Alice. I had been busted. "So," She smiled amusedly, "What were you up to?" Ha, like the pixie didn't already know. I smiled back, "What's for breakfast?" She frowned at the subject change, but complied because she already knew my earlier whereabouts. She shrugged and appeared instantly at my side, "I'm sure Esme would love to make something." I nodded in agreement. A loud snore from Bella attracted our attention. Simultaneously, we grinned. "Hey, Alice?" "Yes, Sky?" "It would be terribly rude of us to leave poor Bella out of breakfast, wouldn't it?" Alice's grin widened like the Cheshire Cat, "Yes! It would be very rude- and terrible hosting on my part- if we let Bella sleep through breakfast!" Agreeing, we nodded and pounced. "BELLA!!!!" "IZZY!!!!!" Alice and I bounced about on the bed (being careful not to trample the human) and yelled out our dear friend's name. Bella woke with a shout and bounced up and down with the force Alice and I created by jumping up and down.

"BELLA!" Edward, ever the worry wart, came barging in. Alice and I stopped immediately and looked at each other trying to figure out our next plan of action- to get out of trouble. Edward rushed over to Bella's side and pulled her into his arms. "Are you alright?" He questioned while checking over her for injuries. She gazed sleepily at him, her hair tousled and eyes hazy with sleep. "We were just waking her up," Alice explained as she plopped down onto her backside beside Bella. Bella gave her a tired glare. "We didn't want her to go hungry," I added as I plopped down on the other side of Bella. We both rested our heads on her shoulders and gave Edward our best innocent look. Edward glared at us both, but gave up with a sigh when Bella waved us off. Off the hook, I smiled inwardly. "Breakfast," Edward smiled as he gripped Bella's hand to lift her from the bed, "for the human." "Hey," I pouted, standing, "Izzy's not the only one that eats." Edward smirked smugly as he glanced to Bella's thoughtful face, "Izzy?" "Yes," I nodded contemplating the idea, "Call me weird, but I like it." Bella smiled, "I like it, too." "See!" I smugly smirked to Edward, who scowled. We left Alice's room for the kitchen.

Edward's Point of View

I stared at Fork's newest inhabitant in wonder. Never in my entire life, had I _ever _seen a girl, or anyone else for that matter, eat _so_ much food. I mean, it defies every logic in existence! There is nowhere for all of that food to go! Yet, there she sits shoveling down enough food to feed a small army. Oh, there she goes. She just finished off another baker's dozen of Esme's plate sized cinnamon rolls. Apparently, I wasn't the only one surprised by her actions.

Emmett burst out laughing. He walked up behind the small girl and patted her on the back, "You never cease to amaze me, fire cracker!" That was his new name for her. Rosalie even put in her two cents, "She's like a bottomless pit." That was new, she must like Schuyler; Rosalie referred to her as a "she" and not an "it." Even now, after all this time, I still catch her referring to Bella as "the human." Esme was obviously delighted to have Sky around. She liked having more children, especially one so young. She was also overjoyed that Sky loved her cooking so much. Carlisle, who had befriended her and taken her as an apprentice, thought very much the same as Esme. Alice and Bella loved her as a best friend, even if they had only known her for a week. And as for myself, well I saw the girl as a major thorn in my side. Oddly enough, (I swear her weirdness was rubbing off on me) I wouldn't have it any other way. But there was an odd familiarity about Schuyler that gave me chills down my spine; I just couldn't place the feeling.

Wait. Someone is missing. My eyes swept the room until I found him. Jasper was leaning against the side of the couch in the living room ways away from the rest of us. Several images, all from his mind, flashed before my eyes. The images, every single one of them, were of Schuyler. She was smiling in one, glowing in the next, and singing an unfamiliar song for another. He recalled an earlier memory of the two, Jasper and Schuyler, sitting on the swing on the back porch. The sun was rising and Jasper was sparkling; Schuyler was glowing. She was beaming at him, and I could feel the shear bliss emanating from him even from my seat at the kitchen counter. I smiled having my earlier assumption correct; Jasper was smitten. I looked over to Schuyler, who was laughing with Bella, Emmett, and Alice. While the others were laughing, she glanced quickly over at Jasper. When he caught her peeking, she quickly looked in another direction. I took careful note of the faint scarlet creeping upon her cheeks. Aw, she likes him too.

"-Oh, shoot! I left the pictures I was going to show Sky in Alice's room!" Bella frowned. She stood to go get it. "Don't worry, Izzy! I'll get it!" Sky cheerfully skipped to the staircase. She started her ascent. Unfortunately for Sky, one of the qualities that she has in common with Bella is her balance; or lack there of. Schuyler tripped (probably over her own foot) and fell backwards. Rushing to the rescue, Alice appeared at the top and grabbed her hand before she could make a dangerous decent. I turned to look back over at Bella. "AH!" I twirled around in the chair and was at the base of the winding staircase before I even knew what happened. Sky had yelled. She had snatched her hand away from Alice as if the hand were a venomous snake and tumbled down the staircase.

We all gathered around her; she was screaming and clutching her head in pain. Alice stood at the top of the stairs, too shocked to move. That was when I smelled it- the blood leaking from Sky's mouth. She must have broken veins in her neck. I, along with the other members of my vampire family, held my breath. Carlisle knelt beside her writhing body and called for Emmett to hold her down so she couldn't hurt herself. Carlisle moved her hair to inspect the injury. I gasped when I saw the dark purple skin. And then, Schuyler suddenly fell limp. Her eyes glazed over. Somewhere behind me, I heard Jasper knock over a lamp in his haste to move to the farthest corner in the room. I could hear the chaos in his mind; he was struggling between rushing to her side to see if she was alright and drinking her dry of blood. But my own mind was elsewhere. My eyes were trained on the stilled body. She wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing. The small drip of blood cascaded down her lovely, stilled face to drop onto the wooden floor. Carlisle voiced what we had all come to discover, "She's broken her neck." One question rung through not only my mind, but everyone else's; She isn't supposed to be able to die, so if that's true, then why is she not breathing?

Schuyler's Point of View

Okay, so as usual, I was caught by Edward. Yet, this time I was embarrassed. It's not often that I get caught stealing glances at a beautiful, godly man. It wasn't often that you actually see a beautiful, godly man. But then again, this is Forks, the home of all that is weird (and beautiful). Anyway, when Bella forgot about her pictures, I jumped at the chance to leave the room, even if for a moment, so I could regain my composure (and any bit of dignity that I might have had left). As I skipped to the stairs, I resisted the overwhelming sense to sneak a peak at the object of my (unadmitted) affection. So, being the distracted and clumsy person that I am, I mistook the air for a step and fell backwards. I flinched; I was so not looking forward to falling down all these stairs. Hey, I might be immortal, but that doesn't mean that death and injuries aren't painful. And this? This would hurt like hell. But, I didn't feel the stairs. Instead, I felt ice clasp my hand and pull me forward. I opened an eye to find that the ice was really Alice's hand. Instantly, I pulled my hand away, which sent me flying faster down the stairs. And what happened next, you ask? I broke my neck. Yippee.

But that wasn't the only thing I was feeling. Unfortunely for us both, Alice had succeeded in touching my hand. Now, to anyone else, it wouldn't be a big deal- or, well, any deal at all. But for me, it was a gamble. The last thing I saw of Alice was her reaction to the side affect of my own dirty little secret. What she didn't know was that it was worse for me. So, there I was writhing and screaming clutching my aching head- which was unimaginably painful not only for the injury, but also from my own little "gift." Ha, gift; that's funny. Let's go with curse.

So, anyway, I was treading the pain when I lost control of my body and my mind. Everything went dark, and then fuzzy images and sound played in my foggy mind. I was disoriented at first, but steadily the images and sounds became clearer. The images were mostly in black and white, with the exception of a single emphasized color other than the two, and played like an old time movie. I began to realize what was going on; I had successfully borrowed Alice's gift. Okay, not borrowed, but copied. Yeah, copied, that's a good word for it. I had copied it temporarily. And, having nothing else to do due to the sudden loss of control and feeling in my body, I sat back and watched the scenes play.

_The room was decorated with red and black. The white walls held a collogue of random pictures and old movie stubs. The wall also bore cherry red hand prints and smears that covered the unintentional canvas. Pushed up to the wall near the open window was a large queen sized bed. A gust of wind swirled and twisted the crimson curtains. The vibrant waving ribbons shining in the moonlight were only outdone by the rich, bright red blood pooling on the floor by the door. The movie, being true to it's nature, zoomed in at two feet; they were bare except for the ruby elixir painting the once peach flesh. The line of vision moved up the body; the figure, a woman, was wearing a pair of unbuttoned, torn blue jeans. The image continued farther. The woman was covered in bruises and had nothing but her tattered undergarments to cover her chest. The image stopped a little above her collar bone where the impression of a set of teeth sat carved into her flesh. The victim was unidentifiable, for her face was not shown. The drowning of the visions pulled me farther into my mind. The last thing I saw of the scene was the metallic shine from the small golden metal attached to a thin gold chain around her neck._

* * *

_This vision confused the heck out of me. It was short and sweet, but confusing. I was standing in the forest and Jasper was standing right in front of me, yet, I was so sad. He quickly closed all distance between us, grabbed me, and kissed me like tomorrow would never come. The me in the vision held him tight and kissed him back with the passion of one thousand suns, but the passion, although real, seemed final. Reluctantly the two parted. She reached out for him, but he was gone. It was a kiss goodbye._

* * *

_This scene, too, was simple. The image focused on a telephone pole. Posted onto the wood were several papers, all of them the same. The headline read "Have you seen this boy?" Under the line was a picture of a young Native American boy with short cropped dark hair and eyes. The boy, although I had never seen him before, was so very familiar, like an old friend from a star-crossed dream. A paper ripped off from the post and fluttered away in the wind, much like the boy depicted on it._

* * *

_This vision was but a flash of images. First, I saw an angelic little girl. She had pale skin, rosy cheeks, copper curls, and chocolate brown eyes. She reached out to me, and then the image flickered away._

_The next was gory. A woman, or at least that was what I thought, laid out on a table soaked in a river of blood. Her eyes were rolled back into her skull. I could hear the beat of her heart, even if the picture was only a picture. The heart beat was strong, and then is sped up. It weakened, and then died. _

_Edward was crying. He was covered in blood and pressing down on the woman's chest. He did not stop, even after her heart faltered and died. He cried and tried even harder._

_It was a clock now, but as to what the time meant I did not know. _

_And then I saw two bright red eyes._

* * *

_All of the Cullens, including Bella, were crowded around the base of the staircase. Alice stood frozen, as everyone else, at the top of the staircase. She was so confused. I saw Jasper. He was struggling. In the blink of an eye, he was at the other end of the room. In the chaos, he bumped into a table and sent a lamp crashing to the ground._

* * *

_This vision was the blurriest. The image's light was darkening and brightening chaotically. But I could see a girl. She was sitting, waiting, on a porch. Snow was falling all around her, setting her body alight and giving her wings. She didn't move. Her long brown braid swayed in the winter breeze. Her body trembled, but not from the wind. Angel tears cascaded from her eyes and fell to the snow, which melted under the extreme heat of the drop. The sadness she was feeling... I'd felt it once; there was only one tragedy that could create such pain, such sorrow. The girl was heartbroken. She was waiting for someone who would never come home. _

* * *

I was pulled out of the water that threatened to drown me and gasped for air. I felt my bones realign and my skin mend back together. My eyes snapped open. My blue and green eyes were met by several pairs of worrisome gold orbs. My eyes fluttered open and closed as I greedily sucked in as much air as my lungs could hold. I turned to Alice, who was the closest to me. "Sorry," I whispered, my head light and dizzy. She frowned. My eyes drifted close momentarily as all of the memories and all of my energy rushed through my mind and veins.

"Sky?" Alice weakly muttered my name. She hesitantly reached out her hand to me, but thought better of it and dropped the gesture. Figuring they would find out soon enough, I beat them to the punch and asked Alice a question, "What did you see?" She smiled softly, her eyes zoning out in thought, "Someone who loves me…" I smiled in return. I was happy that my gift worked in a positive way this time. Last time, it worked not only against me, but against the other person as well. Silently, I thanked my lucky stars. "What _was_ that?" Alice asked her own question. I smirked, "You're not the only one with the wickedly awesome powers."

I leapt from the spot where I had fallen and stretched. I sighed happily when I heard my bones crack back into place. Everyone else, all for their own reasons, flinched at the sound. "I've always had a knack for it, even when I was a human. Now, after becoming what I am, the power has intensified," I continued. Edward glared in irritation, "And 'it' would be?" "Hmmm," I considered it. Unfortunately for Edward, breaking bones so early in the morning had made me crabby. "You're smart. I'll let you figure it out." He gaped at me. "Edward," I teased, "You're not a fish." He glared.

The other Cullens weren't any happier. Carlisle, who had known me for many years now, was particularly upset, "You have a gift?" I nodded grimly, "I would more preferably refer to it as a 'curse'. The darn thing usually lands me in hot water." I could see the gears turning in his head as he tried to fit all of the pieces together. "I'll give you hints-" I paused. My eyebrows furrowed, and then I turned to Alice, "It's for me." Not even a second later, Alice's cell phone rang. She gave me the most baffled look as she looked at the ID only to find an unknown number. She handed the phone to me. I flipped it open, "Jensen?" "Lorie! Ah, my favorite sister in the entire world!" I smacked my forehead and pinched the bridge of my nose, "What did you do?" "Why do you always assume that I did something? Can't I say that I love my dear little sister?" "Jensen," I growled the name, glaring at the sofa. "Well, you see, in a way completely unrelated to my self…" "Is that Lorie?! Jensen, give me the phone!" I heard my two brothers wrestle over the device. I heard a loud thump and Jared spoke, "Jensen pissed off the electrician. He left, so Jensen tried to fix the wiring himself. And well…" I moaned in dismay, "Please, tell me he didn't burn the building to the ground." He answered on a happier note, "No! We managed to put it out-" Jensen yelled and another round of clanks, thumps, and cries ensued. Jensen shouted, "The building is fine! I, err, JARED might have pulled some wires out of the ceiling, though. He also messed up all the wiring! And now we have no electricity because he blew all of the fuses. What were you thinking Jared?" "What! I- Lorie! Don't listen to him! He's lyin-" "Gotta go! Love you, get here soon!" The phone went dead.

I sighed heavily and hung my head in complete misery. I dropped the tiny phone into Alice's awaiting hands and trudged up the stairs. Knowing they could hear me, I groaned, "Sorry, I have to get to the restaurant before my brothers completely destroy our business before it even starts." I disappeared into Alice's room to gather my things and reappeared back with the Cullens in seconds. I bowed my head in appreciation, "Thank-you again. I had a lot of fun." The family all nodded; Esme, Alice, and Bella gave me a hug goodbye and Emmett clapped a hand on my back as a farewell gesture. Carlisle gave me a knowing smile. That sneaky guy; He already figured it out. I pouted as I passed him. He simply chuckled at my behavior. Edward read his mind and he doubled back to look at me. "Cheater," I muttered before sticking my tongue out at him. He laughed.

Once I reached my black pick-up truck, I stopped to look around. I had said goodbye to every one of the Cullens (even the cheeky Rosalie), all but the one I wished to see the most. I looked out over every rock and past every tree in search of the honey haired man, but I saw him no where. I fumbled with the car keys in my hand and clumsily opened the driver's door. I looked up and squeaked. There, beside me, was the man I had been searching for. He was hesitant; I could tell by the way he hovered away from me. "Jasper," his name slipped from my lips like my own personal lullaby. He shoved his hands in his jean pockets and avoided my gaze. I frowned, not liking how he eluded me. "Jasper," I reached my hand out to touch him, but he moved several feet away in a flash. My heart, as well as my eyes, stung with pain. My grasp failed and faltered.

I brought my hand back to my side. He never looked at me. At first I was confused, but then I remembered the vision that I had seen- the one showing the Cullen family's reaction to my fall. The light bulb went on in my head, "You didn't hurt me, Jasper." My voice was only a whisper, but it was strong and it was true. "You fought back, and you won." He shifted on his feet but did not move to catch my eyes. "Jasper, I know you were scared that you would kill me, but you _didn't_. You were able to control it, and that's because you are _strong_." He made no move. I frowned; He didn't react in the slightest. I sighed in irritation and used the only successful method that I could think of. I leaped. And I conquered.

"Would you listen to me!" I glared at him from my position on top of him after knocking him down, the truck hiding us from view from the house. Jasper (finally) stared up at me with surprised, hazy gold eyes. I huffed and blew a loose strand of hair from my eyes, "You are _not_ going to kill me. You _are_ strong. You _are__** not**_ a monster! And don't even think of looking away, because I'm not getting up until you get this through your thick skull. So you're going to have to deal with gravel until you finally except the truth." He was taken off guard by the fire in my eyes, the complete seriousness and sincerity glowing and ablaze. However, the surprise only lasted a minute. As soon as the surprise faded from his eyes, it bloomed in mine. Jasper flipped us over to reverse the position so he was the one pinning _me_ down. "Jasper?" The beautiful man leaned down and whispered numbly into my ear, "I've killed you once. What is to keep me from doing it again?" I cupped his face in my hands and held the golden orbs that stared back, "You could have killed me earlier as soon as my blood spilled, Jasper. But you _didn't_. You take that fact so lightly." He made no movement facial wise, but I saw the amber liquid of his iris' twirl and flow. They smoldered. The distance between us grew shorter and he whispered tauntingly, "Your heart…" I silently cursed the once forgotten organ. It beat so loudly that I feared that it might burst. "Hey," I blushed, completely embarrassed, and started to ramble, "If your heart was still working and you had a really beautiful guy on top of you too, then your heart would-" His icy cold lips crashed down on mine and I was never so aware of his icy body against my boiling one. At that very moment, every nerve in my body became a live wire and I felt an odd electricity flow through my veins. This single, simple touch sent me through cloud nine and straight into heaven.

My heaven was shattered when Jasper pulled away. I was dazed and in utter bliss. The chill from his lips lingered on my own and I could see his own lips alive with a red tint. Fire and Ice, I mused. "Wow," the word was mindless, as I was lost for actual words. Jasper grinned and chuckled. I beamed like a love struck fool, "Maybe I should ramble more often." Jasper laughed. I patted him on the back, "I underestimated you. You're stronger than vampire teeth. It must be hard to simply be around humans, and to kiss one!" He refused to look away from my happy, shining eyes, "You're only partially a human, an immortal one, so it's not as hard, so long as you do not bleed. Besides, if Edward can do it, then so can I." The smile on my face didn't disappear and neither did his. "'Practice,' he says." Jasper quoted Edward. And then, just as Edward proposed, practice makes perfect. Jasper kissed me again.


	11. Chapter 10 Stars

**NOTE: **Sorry for the delayed up-date; senior year's been hectic. Also, check out the new prologue I put up. I think it works better than the first. Here are two new chapters.

**Chapter 10**

An Old Friend

"Alright, Lorie, I can explain! It was all Jared!" Jensen yelled loudly as he practically poked Jared's eye out while pointing the blame onto him. I stepped into the restaurant and stopped when I saw the complete mess of spiraling heaps of wires dangling from the ceilings. Jared hopped in front of me, "It's not as bad as it looks! We called another electrician and he'll be here as soon as possible!" I nodded, a silly smile still stuck to my face, "Okay." I walked off, a skip in my step, to the kitchen.

Jensen & Jared's Point of View

…

"Did you just see that?" Jensen gaped in disbelief. We stared at the doorway our sister had just disappeared through. "_No way_," Jared's eyes narrowed and he blinked knowing that there was _no way in hell_ that what just happened was real. "She didn't yell at me?" Jensen was torn between being happy that he got off scott-free and being concerned that he didn't. One thing that we had learned (and endured) from our dear sister over the years was that she was the responsible one. That pretty much means that when we do something stupid and she is the one to beat us up and kick us back in line. So, naturally, when we called her to tell her that we screwed up, we expected her to bite our heads off. But no, she just says "okay" and walks off with a stupid smile on her face.

"Aliens," Jensen nodded to himself, "Yep, definitely aliens. They beamed her up and left a robot in Lorie's place." I almost agreed with him; that was how surprised we were. Schuyler _**never**_ let us off. We _always_ got caught and _always_ got in trouble. "Do you think something happened with the Cullens?" Jared proposed turning to his elder brother. "That or she just won the lottery and forgot to tell us," Jensen agreed half-heartedly. We were both worried. "Maybe we should invite them for opening day to see what's up," Jensen suggested. Jared thought over the suggestion and actually agreed. "Yeah, something's definitely up."

Schuyler's Point of View

Alright, now I was worrying.

I sighed heavily and stopped in my pacing to glance again at the antique clock hanging on one of the only non-glass walls in the restaurant. I whined and returned to my endless pacing. You might be wondering why I, after having such a wonderful morning, am so antsy. Well, that's simply because it's ten o'clock and my knight in shining armor is late! Usually, around nine or so, I would turn around and find him sitting in a both waiting for me. But now one million questions ran through my mind. Where was he? Is this my fault? Is it because I wouldn't tell anyone my secret? Did he skip town because his fear of killing overthrew him? Did I do something wrong? Does he not like me anymore?

I whimpered and stopped to bang my head against the door to the kitchen. "Stinking vampire…" God, what did I do? I hit my head again and glared at the earth toned wall. The silence covered my like a blanket; I closed my eyes and tried to relax.

"Schuyler?"

Silence gone. "Eep!" I jumped at least a foot and twirled around fast enough to get whiplash. My racing heart only accelerated once I saw who my visitor was.

"Jasper?" There before me was the southern, beautiful man I had grown so accustomed to. My sulking instantly washed away only to be replaced with a smile, "You're late." He smirked and pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans; he then glanced at the clock with a frown, "Your clock is one hour fast." Okay, well, don't I feel stupid. I glared at the contraption and frowned. Jensen and Jared must have messed it up when they destroyed the wiring earlier. Speaking of wiring…

"I see that you've… remodeled," Jasper stated as he looked around the electrical war zone. I followed his gaze and shrugged, "It could have been worse. At least the building wasn't burned to a crisp." He raised an eyebrow. "It's a long story. Let's just say Jensen is disaster prone." He nodded, "I'll take your word on it." I walked over to the glass doors leading to the garden. I opened them and gestured out the door, "I guess we'll move this party outside." He scoffed and then appeared by my side. He reached an arm over my head and held onto the door. He leaned down and whispered, "Ladies first." "And who said chivalry was dead?" Jasper smirked; I frowned.

I sat down on a bench between the rose arch and the fountain. Jasper appeared with lightening speed and followed suit. I leaned back and smiled at him. He appeared completely relaxed. Lazily, he threw an arm around the back of the bench leaving his hand to dangle beside my shoulder. I stared out into the glowing black night and found myself lost in the anomalies and vastness of the stars and the shining moon. "You like to look at the stars." "Yes," I answered instinctively. I glanced at the god through the corner of my eye. "Why?" He asked. It would seem that I am not the only inquisitive one, I thought amusingly. I humored him anyway, "They never go away." I didn't have to look at him to know that he wanted me to elaborate. I lost myself again in the beauty of the night and answered him with the thoughts flowing in my mind, "I've been around for well over two centuries, Jasper. Over all of that time, people I'd grown to love, grown to know, they grew old and died. People and places are only temporary for people like us. We have no home, no friends or family outside a select few of our kind, if we should be so lucky; we know no constant." I stopped to breathe, "Yet, no matter where I am, who I'm with, or what year it is, I can look up to the sky and see the stars. They're home." "Home…" The word lingered in the air as we both stared up at the twinkling mysteries above us.

* * *

"I'll see you tonight," I smiled to the sparkling man before me. Jasper glanced at the rising sun in disdain, "It would seem so." He turned away from the light on the horizon to stare into my eyes, "I'll be counting the seconds." He leaned closer to my face, and hesitated only inches from my neck. Surprising us both, he buried his face in my wavy brown hair and inhaled. We both froze- him in restraint and me in worry. After a long moment, he relaxed, which created a domino effect. I relaxed as his kiss tenderly brushed my neck. His lips lingered, and he sighed. He untangled himself from my hair and restated, "Tonight." He leapt away into the forest neighboring the restaurant's property. I sighed in relief and turned to go back inside. Finally! Someone didn't ask about my "gift." "Sky," I felt an icy touch slide over my left arm. The ice pulled me into an iceberg. "Forget something?" I smirked as the vampire embraced me. He returned my cocky smile, "Yes. I have a theory." My smirk faded, "About?" His smirk widened and his eyes smoldered, "Your ability." Well, I'll give him brownie points for not referring to it as a gift. "Can't wait," I replied monotonously. He chuckled and ran off. The jerk just couldn't leave it at "see yah!" I groaned as I locked the door and walked around the building to my truck.

* * *

"April 30," I checked off the day on my calendar. Wow, time goes by when you discover an entire coven of vegetarian vampires. I chuckled as I threw the marker into the drawer of my desk. I stretched out to pop several of my bones. I then waded over to my closet and set to work on finding something else to wear (as I had just taken a shower). Not caring too much about my outward appeal, I grabbed a few random articles of clothing- a faded pair of jeans, a white lace chocker, random undergarments, and a Nightmare Before Christmas t-shirt that hung loosely over my curves. I glanced in the mirror at myself and combed through my drying curly hair. Satisfied that I didn't look like something from the black lagoon, I threw on two random knee length socks, one purple and black and the other pink and red, and a pair of black converses.

Now, what would I do today? I pondered over what I could do with my peaceful Sunday. A conversation I had with Jasper came to mind.

"_Are the Cullens the only supernatural beings in Forks?" Something in her eyes told me that she somehow already knew the answer. "Besides you and your family? No. But… in La Push, there is something else." Her eyes lost focus as if she were recalling a past memory. I answered her before she could ask the question, "__**Werewolves**__."_

It was far past time to keep my promise and meet up with an old friend or two. I left the house and ran through the forest in the general direction of La Push.

* * *

I was only a few miles away from the Indian reservation when I caught the scent that I was looking for, the scent of wolf. I stopped running at blurring speeds and looked around the forest for anything other than green. Silently I thanked Jasper for passing on the unrivaled eyesight. Nearly a mile away to the east, I saw a blur of brown. He was getting closer. I nearly burst into laughter as he passed me without so much as even a hint of noticing my presence. So… being me, I decided to help the old dog out. And well, that meant leaping out of no where.

The colossus wolf, which I had greatly underestimated size-wise, stopped in his tracks and slip forward a few feet. I grinned up at the great beast, "What's up with you, Black? Growing senile in your older years, I see." The beast growled at me; I saw some type of emotion well in his eyes. "Now, now, pup," I smiled as I appeared right in front of him. I reached up and scratched behind his ear. I continued by patting his chest, "Wow. You sure have been eating a lot ever since I left. Geez, Ephraim! You're as big as a house!" The creature snorted and glared. I winked, "No more Oreos for you." I looked over towards La Push and then whipped around with a big grin, "I'll race you to your house, Black!" I took off running. I chuckled when I heard the stumped wolf turn around and shoot off after me.

"Beat you!" I chirped as I reached the house first. The wolf was still a blur behind the trees. Deciding not to wait, I walked right in. And imagine my surprise when just about _everything_ looked _exactly_ the same as when I had last seen it. "Wow, Billy," I mumbled as my fingertips grazed over the old wallpaper. It was like I'd stepped into a time capsule. "Jake?" I jumped at the voice. I soon heard what sounded like something being wheeled into the room. I turned around to find two wide black orbs staring straight into my own widened eyes. "Billy?"

"I GOT HER!!!" I squeaked as something huge and heavy knocked me to the ground. Something incredibly hot, about as hot as myself, pressed against my back. I growled and punched (instinct). The painful source of the searing heat flew off of me and right through the open front door. "JERK!" I yelled out at the giant man groaning on the gravel. I slammed the door and turned to smile at Billy, "Long time no see, Black." He chuckled, "Still peppy as ever, I see." I beamed at the man, but frowned when I noticed the chair he was confined to. "Billy," I walked closer to the older man and kneeled down beside the chair, "I missed my best friend." "I missed you, too," he replied, a small smile growing out from the corner of his lips. "I see that you've already met my-" "THAT IS IT!" The door flew open and a thin, lanky teen with shaggy dark hair ran in. Instinctively, I jumped in front of my beloved friend and growled, "Back off, pup!" The boy glared. I heard a low growl reverberate inside his chest, "This is **MY** house! And that's **MY** dad! _**You**_ back off!" "Dad!" I turned to Billy with a befuddled look, "Dad?" The older man smiled fondly, "Meet Jacob, my youngest." "Oh. Oh!" I appeared instantly in front of the boy, who looked familiar somehow (I brushed it off and figured it was because he was related to Billy), "I'm really sorry! I didn't know you were Billy's!" He stared blankly, "You seemed to know who I was in the woods." I nodded and smiled sheepishly, "I apologize, it's been several years. I got a little excited when I saw a wolf running around La Push, and I jumped the gun; I thought you were Ephraim." He glared, "You thought I was my great grandpa?" He sized me up and raised an eyebrow in mockery, "How old are you anyway? Twelve?" I glared blankly at the boy and answered him with as much patience as I could muster, "I've been fifteen for quite awhile, thank-you." His eyebrows furrowed, "Quite a while?"

He sniffed the air, "What are you anyway? You smell weird." I scoffed; I just couldn't catch a break, could I? First my age and now my smell? What ever happened to good old chivalry? Ha, apparently it skipped a generation. "I'm 270, how about you, Junior?" I ignored the boy and turned to Billy, "Can I hit him?" He tried to keep a straight, serious face, but his sparkling, spirited eyes gave away his amusement, "Now, now, Skye, no need to hurt him. If you hurt him too bad, I won't have anyone to help me around the house or to run errands for me." Jacob glared at his father, "Thanks, Dad. It's good to know that you care about my well being." "Yo! You," the arrogant boy came up beside me and waved his giant hand in front of my face. I smacked his hand away, "I have a name. It's Schuyler." "Whatever. How do you know my old man?"

"We're old friends," Billy explained. He then gestured for both the mutt and I to sit on the couch. He rolled over to the arm rest and parked. After seeing us both sit (and not kill each other), he picked up an old picture frame off of a nearby table and handed it to us. "Skye lived here when I was your age, Jacob. I guess you could say she was my Bella." "Bella?" I questioned the man. Were we talking about _that_ Bella? How do they know Bella? Oh, yeah, that's right. Bella's a monster magnet. Anything supernatural within one hundred miles of the girl seems to find her. But if that was the case, then did that mean that Jacob is Bella's best friend? If so, then why haven't I ever heard of him? "Oh!" Jacob gasped as he looked at the picture, then at me. "I've seen this picture a million times. I knew you looked familiar!" Instantly, I leaned to his chest to see the picture in his hands. I recognized the picture to be one taken a year before I left Forks. I remembered the day as if it were yesterday…

"_Skye!" I twirled around to face my best friend in the entire world. "Billy!" I beamed and ran straight for him. I pounced and knocked us both to the ground. "Aw, come on!" Harry Clearwater groaned as he walked up to the two. "Sorry!" I smiled and jumped to my feet. Quil Ateara, Jr., appeared next with a camera in hand. He smiled sheepishly, "My dad let me borrow his camera. Let's take a picture!" Quil handed the camera to a random passerby on the street and asked him to take the picture for us. We all scrunched together and smiled cheek-to-cheek. "Cheese!"_

Those were the times. "I remember that. Right after that picture was taken, I found out about Ephraim, that crazy old man, being a werewolf. I remember being mad at you when you told me how old he was. It took me the longest time to actually believe that he was older than 30." Billy laughed at the memory, "Those were the days. Do you remember when you ran into him in the forest? You appeared out of no where and nearly gave him a heart attack! And then, once he had decided you weren't a threat, you pulled his tail!" "Hey," I argued, "I was making sure it wasn't fake!"

Jacob cut in, "I'd love to sit here and listen to you two talk all day about the 'fun times' you had, but I think there are more important things to get to. For example, what the _hell _are you?" I rolled my eyes and recited what I've heard so many times, "Yeah, yeah, I smell like rain and cinnamon. I've heard. I'm not human, and I'm not a werewolf like you." "Then what are you?" He glared, not liking where the conversation was heading. I shrugged like it was the most normal thing in the world, "I'm an Immortal. You've heard the legend, I'm sure. Oh! And part vampire, too." Jacob leapt off the couch faster than a get away car leaving the scene of a crime. "You're a WHAT?" "Immortal vampire," I said the words slowly so he could understand. I even used hand gestures.

"She's an exception, Jacob," Billy sighed as he tried to reassure his son, "She is the only one allowed on Quileute land." "SHE'S A BLOOD SUCKER!" His body began to vibrate and shake. I glared at him, "I'm _partially_ a vampire. Blood is not my forte. I just happened to get bit and got a few nice quirks." Billy nodded to confirm my story; he added, "She only has the senses of a vampire. She doesn't drink blood. The Immortal genes outweigh anything else. " Jacob went silent and stared at us in disbelief. "BUT-" I stood up and glared, ready for a fight and even had the pointing finger out. I then perked up and sniffed at the air and cheered, "FOOD!!!" I ran for the kitchen. "He-hey! THAT'S MINE!!!" Jacob shouted and raced after.

Billy chuckled as he heard his son and his best friend arguing over pancakes. He rolled his chair in the direction of the loud teens, "Things are certain to get more interesting from now on, now that Skye is back." He shook his head and smiled. He rolled to the doorway of the kitchen and frowned when he saw the two stuffing pancakes into their mouths and fighting over the last one. He suddenly remembered the down side to his dear friend's return. "Great, now there will _definitely_ be no food in the house." Billy could already imagine the empty fridge and cabinets.

* * *

"Hey, Billy, my brothers and I just opened up our own restaurant. You and your friends are welcome to come for the grand opening on Tuesday. You're a friend of the family so I promise that you won't have to wait. In fact, anything you want is on me, free of charge. Think of it as a thank-you for all of the years I ate all of your food." Billy beamed at my offer, "So, it's you and your brothers that are responsible for all of the hub-bub! I should have known. And I hope you weren't kidding. I plan to take you up on your offer. Feeding an entire pack of ravenous wolves has burnt a hole in my pocket." I paused as I bit into a chocolate chip cookie. I swallowed most of the bite and sputtered, "_**Pack**_?" Jacob, who sat right next to me on the couch, laughed and tried to grab the bag of Chips Ahoy's from me. I hissed as I leaned away and shoved the package under my shirt. The wolf glared at me, "Yes, _pack_. There are more than ten of us, and apparently, you are going to feed us all for free." "And Mrs. Clearwater and Charlie Swan," Billy added with a crinkly smile. "TEN!" I shrieked. Now I knew something was wrong (other than the major hurt I was going to feel when I saw how much free food I was planning to give away); there had never ever been that many wolves before! Never! Last time I was here, there were three. Three I can stand, but TEN? No. "Ten?" I turned to give Billy the puppy dog eyes, knowing all to well that it was his week spot. He tried to resist, but as always, he lost. Billy sighed, "Two; Jacob, you can bring two friends." Jacob glared (as it had become his new routine; glare at the girl) and snorted when he saw the smile I tried to hide by munching on another cookie. He rolled his eyes and leaned back into the couch, "Fine."

The old grandfather clock chimed on a new hour. I stopped hording the cookie container (and that darned wolf stole it right out of my hands) for a moment so I could get a good look at the clock. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw that it was eight o'clock. Wow, time sure flies by when you're having fun. I stood up and walked to Billy to give him a hug, "Wow! Time sure flies by! I'll see you on Tuesday, should you decide to come. I've got a lot of stuff that still needs to be done." I turned to Jacob and grimaced as he shoved a handful of cookies into his mouth, "Pup." "Mamfire," he spat out. I assumed he said Vampire. That or "Manferd". I walked to the front door and stepped out, but doubled back to say one last thing.

"Hey, Jacob?"

"Humph?"

"I licked those cookies."

I danced out the door and laughed when I heard him spit out everything in his mouth then run to the bathroom. I chuckled all the way through the woods and didn't stop until I arrived back at the restaurant.


	12. Chapter 11 Dance

**Chapter 11**

More Than This

"Thank-you so much!" I thanked the electrician as he left the restaurant. I waved and smiled at him until he drove out of my line of vision. I about faced to find my two trouble making brothers. I glared at them both, "You are both EXTREMELY lucky that you were able to find such a nice electrician to fix your mess in such a short amount of time." The two shuffled and Jensen flashed me an innocent smile. I glared at him even more, "And before you even try to blame this mess on someone else, Jensen, I'm going to tell you that I could care less. BOTH of you will take responsibility for this," I stuffed the bill into Jared's hands. The two looked at it in disbelief, "You both will split the bill and use your OWN money to pay it." With that I huffed and walked off into the back office.

Jared and Jensen

"She didn't kill us!" Jensen squeaked in disbelief, "Something is DEFINITELY up." Jared laughed dryly as he read the paper Schuyler had left with them, "No, she's back to normal. She just preferred to use numbers rather than words." Jensen's eyebrows furrowed. He snatched the paper from his younger brother's hand and read. He dropped the paper as if it were on fire and clutched his heart dramatically. "Yep," he squeaked, "She's back." The two pouted and whined over the bill that was higher than the amount they had initially paid to buy and create the restaurant.

Sometimes an empty pocket is a more effective than loss of limb.

Schuyler's Point of View

"Alright, right there! Almost! So close!"

"What are you doing, Sky?"

I jumped and bashed my head on the machine I was setting up. "Ow!" I muttered as I rubbed the bump on my head. I turned to my visitor, "Hey, Jazz." The vampire smiled amusedly and appeared kneeling next to me. His eyebrows furrowed at the odd machine, "Is that a jukebox?" "Yep!" I answered as I stood to my feet. Jasper followed my action and then moved to observe the machine in curiosity, "I haven't seen one of these in decades. But this one is different." I nodded and explained, "It sort of works like an old jukebox, but the looks have been tweaked so it matches the rest of the restaurant. There are also a few extras. This baby plays records, CDs, mp3, and has an automated list. Basically, you can choose any song you want by typing in a name. I managed to load most of the music I had onto it, but I still have a lot more." He nodded absentmindedly and began flipping through automated pages. I let him play around with that and left to find some lights in the office.

After finding them all, I walked back into the dining room to find Jasper still flipping through the thousands of song choices. "Find anything you like?" I asked as I set the lights down on a nearby table. He nodded and selected a song. I smiled and shook my head as the song that I had been singing at the Cullen's home was playing. "May I have this dance?" He offered his hand to me and smiled enticingly. I reached out to accept his hand, but recoiled just as quickly. I frowned, "I can't."

The smile never left his face, but it did become somewhat gentler. He offered his hand again, "No hand holding." I nodded hesitantly and allowed him to catch my wrist. He wrapped one arm around my waist and used the other to pull my arm over his shoulder to hook it around his neck. His hand brushed down from my hand to my elbow and stopped at my waist. "Is this alright?" He whispered in my ear. I nodded in embarrassment and cursed my heated face.

"_These are my words_

_that I've never said before_

_I think I'm doing okay_"

Jasper began singing the words softly into my ear. I smiled and looked up to catch his eyes; they were smoldering and glowing in contentment. My smile widened when his southern accent caused the 'g' in doing to drop. I beamed at the blonde before he twirled me around.

"_And this is the smile_

_That I've never shown before_"

I've never seen Jasper's face so alive and glowing. His smile melted my heart like butter and my legs turned to jell-o. Twirling back into his arms, I joined into our midnight sonata.

"_Somebody shake me cuz I_

_I must be sleeping_"

As soon as the chorus hit, Jasper picked me up and spun me around in a circle.

"_Now that we're here, it's so far away"_

The beautiful man set me back to my feet and grabbed hold of my wrist and led me across the dance floor in a unique dance that would only ever belong to us. We sashayed and spun and twirled in perfect sync. Every time we parted, we quickly created a new move to end up back into each other's arms.

"_All the struggle we thought was in vain  
all in the mistakes,  
one life contained_"

I've never felt so free. Being here with him, all of the troubles and pains that have plagued me all fade away until all that is left is him. All I need is him. Our eyes, never parting, held an unrivaled spark and connection. I knew within an instant that he felt the very same. We had become each other's connection to the world.

"_They all finally start to go away_"

The song drew to its end and the music began to fade to mere instruments. Our dance slowed to a mere rocking back and forth. We were so captivated by each other's eyes. I felt his arm around me tighten its hold while his other hand intertwined with my very own. The foreign touch pulled me violently away from the connection and my attention swerved in alarm to one of my greatest fears. My eyes whipped back quickly to Jasper, who looked confused, but otherwise unfazed. My eyebrows furrowed, "Why aren't you affected?"

He caught on and looked to our entwined hands. "Your ability?" He whispered, the gears in his head turning and shifting as he thought. "Yes," I answered just as softly. My hand loosened and then tightened around his larger hand. Again, nothing. "You aren't affected," the reaction, or lack thereof, baffled me. I'd NEVER met someone who was immune to my curse. Never.

His amber eyes watched our hands as he traced over each of my fingers with his thumb. "You touch someone and they feel pain," Jasper voiced his theory, "That is why you call it a curse." "Yes and no," I replied, distracted by the cold patterns he traced over my skin. "Alice surprised you," he remarked, recalling the event. "Yes," I began, "She surprised me very much. I've only see something like what happened to Alice once; that was when I touched Jared's hand."

A new song, one with a softer sound and slower pace, buzzed in the background, but we didn't pay it any attention.

"What is your gift?" He finally asked as he caught my wandering eyes. "It's complicated," I muttered, swaying to the light tune. "Try me," he coaxed as he smiled brightly. I couldn't turn that down. I sighed and began my explanation at the beginning, "I've heard Carlisle's theory of 'gifts' many times. He believes that when we change into something else, we bring something with us. For him, it was compassion. For me… it was something less admirable." I paused to gather my thoughts. My eyes trained themselves onto a button on Jasper's black button-up shirt. "When I was human, I had an odd knack for reading people; all I needed was a simple shake of the hand. By just a mere touch, I would know a person's true face. Like when I met Gabriel, he seemed like a reasonable, respectable young man. But then, I fell and he helped me up. He received a shock and felt drained, and I felt and saw his true wickedness. Unfortunately for me, he figured out far too quickly about my ability, the power to sap away someone's life source to reveal what lies underneath, and took a great liking to it.

After I became Immortal, my ability strengthened tenfold. At first, it was overwhelming and I shied away from people. It took me decades to get the power under control, and even then I avoided a person's touch. I slipped up a few times, though. The result was disastrous; one man went into a coma and another, one who tried to attack me, ended up in an asylum for the mentally insane. My sanity was no better."

I was at my wits end by the time the Civil War rolled around." He curled his fingers completely over my hand. My eyes turned to liquid topaz, "And again, you saved me." We rocked back and forth to the slow rhythm. "Once I had Vampire DNA, my ability became manageable. When I touched a human's hand, they relived their worst memory, which was still bad, but better than previous effects that either killed or made one mentally insane. I, in turn, was able to read them, much like when I was human. And this time, instead of being the unaffected one, I shared in the pain; I relived my worst memory as well."

He stopped us. He glared at me and asked, almost harshly, "How is that any better!?" I was surprised by his tone. I choked on my words but managed to force them out, "It eased the pain and guilt I felt about hurting them. I felt better if I could suffer with them. I hated hurting them!" He still brooded, "Your nightmares outweigh theirs." "Yes," I nodded as my attention switched back over to his buttons, "But their pain still exists. I can endure whatever happens to me. It's them I worry about." He rolled his eyes at my explanation for pain and changed the subject, "What happened when you touched Alice?" I was glad for the change and looked back up to his eyes, "Vampires are different, and very rarely some humans are too. Alice, like I mentioned earlier, is one of two exceptions." He nodded with curiosity alight in his eyes. "To be more specific, by vampires, I mean "gifted" vampires, and sometimes gifted humans, who if turned into a vampire, would have special power," I hinted. He almost understood. I continued, "I learned the new ability when I came across the Volturi." We both tensed at the name. "I accidentally came in contact with Aros' shield. I, as well as them, was quite confused when I was able to deflect their attacks and gifts." He definitely got it now.

"You steal the gifts of vampires!" He realized as his eyes widened as large as dinner plates. "Shh! No! I _**borrow**_ them. Not steal, _borrow_. I borrow the gifts for a limited amount of time, and afterward became somewhat immune to them." "For how long?" He questioned, completely absorbed with the discovery. "It depends," I shrugged, "It can last as long as a few minutes to years, maybe even a lifetime." He nodded, "And what happens to the one you borrowed the gift from?" "The same as what would happen if they didn't have a power," my eyes furrowed, "But Alice didn't see a nightmare; she saw her most treasured memory." "Most treasured?" His head tilted to the side in confusion. "Yes," I nodded, "I was afraid that she'd be catatonic from a past memory, but instead she was happy. When I asked her what she saw, she said, "Someone who loves me."' "And you?" He asked, referring to my half of the power. "I saw the future," I smiled, but then frowned, "It was only bits and pieces, though." I didn't see any need to tell him of the actual visions. "What did you see?" Well, there goes that. "Nothing of importance," I lied, "Just odd things; I saw you knock over a lamp and some posters of a boy-" I stopped, recalling the memory. That boy! Now I know where I had seen him! It was Billy's son, Jacob! "Sky?" Jasper called, alarmed by my sudden silence. "It's nothing," I smiled reassuringly. _That pup is going to cause me trouble_, I realized. The thought of the flying posters made me nervous. The boy was a pain in the butt, but I didn't want anything to happen to him! He was a good kid.

"Sky?" Jasper called again. "Sorry!" I instantly replied, "I was thinking." He didn't say anything, but he caught my wandering eyes. "Schuyler?" He whispered my name. "Yes?" A new song started in the background. I recognized it to be another song by Staind. "What are we?" he questioned as he buried his face in my hair. "Not human?" I answered unsurely. Where was he going with this? His lips grazed my neck as he whispered, "Not that. Us. What are we doing, Sky?" Oh. He meant _that_ kind of thing. "I don't know? What do you want us to be?" I wasn't very good at talks like these. I had never been able to grow accustomed to talks concerning love and extreme feelings like ours. He stayed quiet for a short while. His icy breath tickled my bare skin. He inhaled my scent and sighed. For a moment, I thought he wouldn't be able to control himself and that the smell of my blood had overwhelmed him. I was wrong.

"More than this."

He kissed my neck lightly, right over the scar he had created decades before, and trailed upward until his forehead rested on mine. His eyes closed in contentment. He repeated the thoughts again, "I want to be with you. I know it's wrong," his expression contorted in pain, "I hurt you badly and my control is not as great as my family. But I want to be close to you, to be with you. It's selfish, I know, but-" I cut him off with a chaste kiss.

"If wanting to be together is selfish, then consider me selfish." His eyes cracked open in surprise. I kissed his frosty lips again. He smiled, "In that case, Schuyler Lorena Von Curen, will you be my girlfriend?" "Hmm," I pretended to think about it, "I don't know…" His eyebrows rose higher than the ceiling and his eyes fill with worry. Quickly, I answered him, "Yes. Jasper Hale Whitlock, will you be my manfriend?" He looked at me weirdly. I shrugged, "You're over nineteen, so you're not a boy." He half smiled and gathered me up into his arms. Then he kissed me with more passion than I could ever imagine. I smiled into the kiss. I'll take that as a yes.


	13. Chapter 12 Lost

Note: If the plot starts to take odd turns towards the end, it was probably because I was very angry after reading the fourth book. To say it simply, I am working on a sequel, and it will _not_ end the same way "Breaking Dawn" did.

**Chapter 12**

_Wake_

"Is it dreams?"

"No. Guess again."

Edward smiled smugly as Alice and Bella attempted to guess my ability. So far, they had guessed everything from memory giving to the power of hypnotism. Their theories were interesting, I had to admit, but incorrect. I was also in a really good mood, as they could tell. I think Bella's the only one out of the loop, though. I have a feeling that Jasper might have been a little too excited when he got home and Edward heard his thoughts. As for Alice, well, Alice knows everything.

"Illusions?"

"Nice try."

I knew Edward knew about Jasper and I as soon as I saw that stupid smug smirk plastered over his face. That boy was too cheeky for his own good.

"Edward, give us a hint!"

The boy merely smiled, "the possibilities are endless." That cheat. He's been dropping hints the entire lunch period. I haven't found a way to get back at him yet, but I will. Alice suddenly beamed and bounced excitedly, "You get our abilities!" We all shushed her, although the action wasn't necessary. I seethed at Edward. He simply smiled crookedly. I almost punched him. "Yay," I retorted ever so enthusiastically, "You win." "So, what did you see?" Alice bounced excitedly. "Hmm?" I replied as I shoveled vanilla pudding into my mouth. "The visions, what did you see?" She added. "I saw a lamp that was knocked over and some flying posters. Other then that, there was nothing important." Technically, I didn't lie. I just merely stated that the other visions weren't important. And really, they weren't; they were so choppy that they wouldn't be any use. I wouldn't be able to figure anything thing out from them.

"And what happened to Alice?" Bella chimed in, buying my excuse. Alice filled her in by telling her about her own vision (well, it was a memory, but I didn't want to correct her; Alice gets dangerous when she gets excited). I left the two to come up with their own conclusions and got up to throw the empty contents of my tray into the trash can. I was on my way back when some blonde jumped in front of me. "Hey! Schuyler?" "Yes? Can I help you?" Who in the world was this kid? I vaguely recognized him as one of Bella's human acquaintances who sat at the other side of the table from us. His name escaped me, but his hair- which was styled to look somewhat like Edward's mess of hair- made me feel uncomfortable. An Edward wannabe is never good.

"I'm Mike Newton. I sit behind you in English 4," he smiled cheerily. Great, it was going to be one of _those_ awkward conversations. "So you say," I smiled half heartedly. I glanced behind the large boy at my table. I caught Edward's eye and silently begged him to help me. He smiled and mouthed the words "good luck." That jerk.

"So, I wanted to tell you that you are one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen." Oh, dear God, no. "And I was wondering if you would be busy on Tuesday night; I hear that there's a new restaurant opening and I wanted to know if you'd like to go with me." He gave me the puppy eyes and a hopeful face. I really didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I really didn't like this situation.

"I-I c-can't. I'm really s-sorry." My nerves, which always appeared around humans (especially boys), made my hands tremble and my words stutter. "Why not?" He questioned and reached out a hand to grab my forearm. I jumped away from him in an instant as memories flashed across my sight, "NO!" I saw how my loud answer crushed him and felt terrible. He mumbled a "sorry" and trudged off. I was torn between the half of me that wished to retreat and the half that wanted to chase after him and properly apologize. My feet wouldn't budge. I grimaced and glared at Edward, who stared blankly ahead. Following the only option I had, I walked out of the cafeteria and left in search of a sanctuary.

Edward's Point of View

I don't understand why, but for the oddest reason, I felt like tormenting Schuyler today. So far, I've managed to irritate her by giving Alice and Bella hints as to what her power was. I had to admit, as I looked at the cheerful girl, that the power was extraordinary. I had come across some very unique, powerful gifts, but hers is by far the oddest- the ability to steal another's power by simply touching their hand. Now that is one dangerous and handy gift. So I have to wonder- why does she refer to it as a curse?

"The possibilities are endless," I pitched into the guessing game. Sky glared at me and I merely smirked back. Alice and Bella continued there game until Alice ended it by guessing correctly. Oh, how Schuyler was seething now. It does the heart joy. Well, that statement might be more effective if I weren't dead. Somehow, I found that mocking Sky was just as much entertainment as mocking Bella's wolf friend. Eh, I cringe at the thought of that mutt. I'd prefer Schuyler over the mutt _anytime_. I guess it's some type of sibling rivalry connection that we share.

Speaking of Sky, she just got up.

I couldn't hold back the smile on my face when I noticed that a certain boy had plans to divert Fork's newest student. Mike Newton has taken an interest in our dear Schuyler. This should be interesting.

"Hey! Schuyler?" "Yes? Can I help you?" She answered back, taken off guard by the boy's sudden appearance. "I'm Mike Newton. I sit behind you in English 4," he smiled cheerily. Smooth, Mike. Very nice. I contained my laughter. "So you say," she smiled half heartedly. She looked over the boy's shoulder and swept the cafeteria for something. Her eyes caught mine. It was not hard to read the pleading for help in her eyes. Just to tick her off, I smiled and mouthed the words "good luck." Mike needed a good dose of rejection anyway. His day dreaming about Bella was getting on my nerves. Surely, Schuyler will reject him, I mused as I read his intentions; she has my brother after all. Yes, I knew. Jasper had come home as I was leaving. To state things simply, I'd never seen him so… happy. Actually, I'd never seen him happy, period.

"So, I wanted to tell you that you are one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen," Mike began his confession. "And I was wondering if you would be busy on Tuesday night; I hear that there's a new restaurant opening and I wanted to know if you'd like to go with me." He unleashed the puppy eyes and a hopeful face. I frowned when I missed Schuyler's reaction and shifted until I could see her face again.

"I-I c-can't. I'm really s-sorry." My scowl deepened. Why was she trembling and stuttering? It was just a boy asking her on a date. You'd think that after so long she'd be used to it. "Why not?" He questioned and reached out a hand to grab her forearm. Instantly, her eyes took up the persona of a deer caught in the headlights. She leaped away far too fast for a human (she was pushing the mortal limit) and held her arms tightly to her chest. She shouted, "NO!" Mike apologized and ran away. But I didn't look away from Schuyler. She was there, but looking at her eyes, you could tell that she was lost somewhere else. I looked into her mind and only received a flash.

"_**Hey, songbird**__," a man whispered. His voice was light, yet twisted. "__**Did you miss me**__?" I could see a man with dark tied back hair drift closer. The memory was dark, but I could hear perfectly; I could __**smell**__ Schuyler's fear. "N-no, p-pl-please," she whimpered. The man stepped closer. All I could see were two acidic green orbs staring back. The man smiled deviously, and at that moment Schuyler, as well as myself, knew that nothing on the earth could possess as much evil as the __**demon **__(I couldn't say human as there was no humanity) before her. He reached forward to grab my friend by the forearms and laughed as it caused her great pain…_

I inhaled quickly and gasped. "What's wrong, Edward?" Alice questioned, concerned for Schuyler and I alike. "What's going on?" Bella panicked as she looked from me to the swinging cafeteria doors. Schuyler was gone. "What have I done?" I whispered as the memory of the man reappeared before my eyes. His maniacal tone taunted and twisted my own fears. His voice, his image I had lived only once. She however, knew the man. He frightened me, a full grown vampire and creature of the night. I couldn't even begin to imagine how he terrorized Schuyler. I released this terror onto her. "What have I done?"

I kissed my beloved and then took off after the little girl whose fears I'd just brought back to life.

Schuyler's Point of View

I promised myself that I wouldn't do this.

I promised myself that I wouldn't cry.

They promised that he wouldn't be able to hurt me again.

So… which one of us lied?

Truthfully?

We all did.

Oh, how I hated myself. I skipped my last two classes of the day so I could hide out in the backseat of my truck and cry. Not very brave of me, huh? He does that to a person, you know. He gets into your head and he never leaves. He finds out your hopes, your fears, your desires, everything about you and he messes with your head until you go insane. I was brave, once. But then I met him. I was strong, but my strength was that of a human.

For one hundred years, I was able to push him into the inner chambers of my mind. I hadn't remembered nor had I given in to the great hold he still had over me. Not once, not even when I told Jasper my story. So, it must sound pretty pathetic that the mere touch of a school boy scared me and made me catatonic. But those green eyes, that wicked smile, his taunting, twisted voice, his acidic touch…

I found myself whimpering again. I tightened the blanket around me as a source of security, even though my body was overwhelmed by the extreme temperature. A little slice of safety was worth the uncomfortable heat. I wanted to close my eyes and give in to the sleep depravation that plagued me (I hadn't sleep in over two weeks and the heat and emotional disaster made it all the more worse), but the fear of reliving my own memories as I had for so long scared my body, as well as my mind, far more.

I hate him so much for what he did to me. I hate his memory that haunts me. But most of all, I hate myself for being so weak. I hate not being strong enough. I hate myself so much. I burrowed deeper into the blankets and squeezed into the space between the front and back seats on the floor. I didn't know what to do.

A soft tapping came from the window. An entire set of old terrors resurfaced at the noise.

"_**Songbird**__," the man sang the nickname of his toy as he looked around the dark room. I was hidden in the closet. I was sitting down in the back and tried to hide myself behind the floor length garments. "__**Songbird, where are you? I'm here to fix your broken wing**__…" I looked down at my bruised and broken arm. The bones were shattered and one bone that was still intact stuck out right through the skin. When I looked back up, I found two bright acidic green eyes staring back at me. He tapped lightly on the closet door. His head tilted to the side and his eyes widened with insanity, "__**I found you**__…"_

A strangled screech left my lips as I struggled to hide, but found no such place. All I could see was the darkness created by the blanket. An urgent knock followed the tap. My mind made connections between that noise and the noise of my rapid, racing heart as I ran from my captor and the snapping of my bones when I failed.

"Schuyler!" Someone yelled. "P-please le-leave…" I cried out to whatever threatened my sanctuary. I heard the door fly open and someone pulled me from the truck's floor. Again, my mind made connections.

"_**Songbird**__," the man smiled deviously as he increased the pressure he held over my wrists. "__**I can't have you flying away, again, now can I**__?" The man picked me up from the cellar floor and slammed me into the stone cold wall. He held both of my wrists with one hand and let the other slide across my broken arm until he reached my bruised face. "__**Don't you see**__?" He whispered as his face hovered far too close to my own. Tears of terror flooded down my cheeks and fell noiselessly to the dungeon floor. "__**The only way for us to be together is to clip your wings…**__" With that said, his crazed smile spread as his hand traveled to caress my good arm. Then with a laugh, he broke it in two. _

"Oh my God," a man whispered as he cradled my covered form. Quickly, he unraveled my security blanket and repeated over and over, "It's Edward!" Edward?

…

My Edward?

"Edward?"

I opened my puffy, wet eyes to find a man with messy bronze hair and golden yellow eyes. My eyes furrowed in confusion, and then relaxed back into place. My hand moved of its own accord to caress his face. My eyes lost focus as I lost myself in his image. "You've grown so much…" I smiled. My mind, in its desperate need for light, replaced his orbs with blue and his hair became shaggier. "Little Edward, you've become so handsome. I'm sorry I've been away for so long, dear. I'm here now," my hands raked through his beautiful copper hair. In my eyes, the boy smiled longingly and glowed with love.

My vision clouded and hazed, so I blinked. The boy was gone, and in his place was another. "Edward?" My hand dropped from his face as if it were acid. Where was my Edward? Where had he gone? Edward sighed and laid me back onto the floor. He muttered, "Good, your mind has cleared." He was so pale, even for a vampire. The boy looked as if he had just been confronted by a monster, or worse, the being of evil itself. Edward, with trembling hands, reached into his pocket and produced a cell phone. He pushed a few buttons and held the device to his ear. Within seconds, the person on the line picked up and the two began a speedy conversation.

My hazy vision and ringing ears prevented me from comprehending what was being said. All that I could understand were the not so subtle glances in my direction. Edward flipped the phone closed, and then opened it up again to make another call. This conversation was shorter. I only understood a few words such as "Alice" "Home" and "Hysterical." I assumed he was referring to me. Edward asked me something, but I couldn't understand the words. He asked again, and again I couldn't understand. Edward sighed once he realized that I couldn't be reached and opened the car door. He said something again, but I didn't know what. It wasn't until he picked me up that I got the idea.

Instinct took hold of me. I flailed and squirmed against Edward's hold in alarm. The boy simply tightened his grip and tried to pin down my flailing arms. He succeeded for the most part. In seconds, I was being placed into the backseat of a silver Volvo. Edward slid into the front seat, started the engine, and flew out of the parking lot. He twisted his upper torso around to talk to me, or more likely to make sure I didn't go insane and try to total both him and the car. I merely stared straight through him into the nothingness that always plagued my head after the terror brought upon me by _**that man**_. I didn't know where Edward was taking us, but wherever he was going, we were going to get there fast.

Edward's Point of View

Who in the world was that man?

I'd seen the man several times now in Schuyler's memory. The mere thought of the man struck utter terror in her heart and put her so easily into a catatonic state. I looked back at the quiet girl. She, as she had for quite a while now, has been lost in her mind. I tried talking to her, but she didn't react or make any sign that she understood. Right now, she clutched a black comforter to her body as if it were a life line. Somehow, I didn't doubt that it was just that. The girl was a prisoner in her own mind.

A low humming from the back seat distracted me from my thoughts. I listened in and took a peak into the back via the mirror. Schuyler was muttering words that I couldn't understand, but the tune was familiar. My eyes furrowed when I realized that part of the tune was familiar because I'd written it. The chorus of her song was the same as the lullaby that I had created for Bella. But how could she know that melody? I wrote it for one, and two I'd never even been within a foot of the piano while she was around. How could she possibly know it?

I finally reached the house. As soon as I stopped in the driveway, Carlisle appeared to open the back door. He bent down near Schuyler and tried to snap her out of the state. She didn't even twitch. Carlisle pulled out a pen shaped flashlight from his white coat and shined the light into her eyes. He frowned at the response, or lack there of.

"Edward, call Alice and get her to give you Schuyler's brothers' number. Call them and let them know what's happened. When they ask who's on the line, tell them you're Charlie Benefici's son." I nodded as Carlisle reached into the back of the car and cooed to her. He then, by some miracle, picked her up and carried her to the house without a fight. I quickly pulled out my cell phone and got to work and made a mental note to ask Bella and Alice if they had ever said anything to Schuyler about Bella's lullaby.

Carlisle's Point of View

"Schuyler!" I called to my old friend, but she didn't react. For the past ten or so minutes, she had been as still as a statue except for the moving of her lips as she sung a silent tune. Her eyes were completely unfocused and her usual bouncy curls hung flatly over her shoulders. She was stuck in her head. There was absolutely nothing that I could do. This was something that only Schuyler could fix.

I sat down on the opposite couch soundlessly. Esme followed suit and hugged my arm. I patted her hand lightly. She whispered worriedly, "Is there nothing that can be done?" I kissed my wife's head lovingly and whispered, "I fear that there is nothing. Only she can fix this. She is the only one who can get herself out." I held my wife tighter as she choked back a tearless sob. Esme had grown attached to the young girl. She enjoyed having the "fire cracker", as Emmett put it, around to liven up our home and to eat the food she made. She loved the idea of another daughter, especially a daughter who was as young as Schuyler.

I knew that Jensen and Jared had arrived as soon as I heard shouting. They were a mile away, but I could hear their argument as if they were right next to me. They sounded so worried. I took one glance at Schuyler and admitted that they had all the reason to be. The duo arrived within a minute.

Jared and Jensen

"Hey! Doctor Guy, where's Schuyler!" Jensen, the eldest and more mischievous one of the two trouble makers, burst through the front door ready for an all-out war. Jared raced in shortly after his brother. Jared brushed back his shaggy dark brown hair with both hands in panic, "Is she alright? What happened?" I merely nodded at the opposite couch. The two saw the bundled upright lump and raced to her side. "Sky? Hey, Sky! Are you in there? Come on! Talk to us!" Jensen called out to her as he kneeled in front of her. Jared pushed him out of the way and gently grabbed a hold of her shoulders. He gazed sadly into her eyes. Jensen continued to shout for his sister to awaken until Jared shushed him. "Jensen, look at her. She's not here," Jared explained fearfully. Jensen had noticed earlier, but he ignored it. He didn't want to admit that they had failed again.

"This has happened before, hasn't it?" Charlie, or Carlisle, questioned sadly. Both brothers nodded. Jared took it upon himself to explain, "Yeah, once. In 1803, Lorie ran across an angry drunk in a pub while looking for us. He got rough with her and it scared her so bad that she was reminded of _him_. We were lucky; we had found her before the guy could really hurt her, but her mind was a different story. She wouldn't talk, nor would she eat. She would respond to nothing and she would hum to herself. She was an empty shell. She was catatonic for three years. Over the time, she had gotten better, but she wasn't back to her old self until long after."

"What the _hell_ happened?" Jensen shouted as he paced the room in frustration. "How could this happen?" Jared added. He then said with great melancholy, "We should have never put her into a coed school. It was a guy, wasn't it?" Carlisle nodded, "From what Edward has told me, a harmless human boy confronted her. He got too close, I suppose. We aren't too informed." Jensen grunted, "Don't plan on it anytime soon."

"I understand your frustration," Carlisle sighed. He gestured for the two to take a seat on either side of Schuyler. Jared, being the calmer of the two, sat with a sigh. Jensen, however, stomped his foot and fell back into place. All four jumped when Jensen sat on the remote to the TV and switched the power on. The channel was tuned to MTV and a random song was playing.

"_Someone shake me cuz I_

_I must be sleeping_"

"Sorry," Jensen apologizes sheepishly to the vampire hosts. The two nodded indifferently. Jensen fished the remote out from the sofa cushion he sat on and motioned to turn the television off.

"Jasper…"

The word was muttered and unsure, but it was a word none-the-less. "Lorie!" Jared cheered as he turned to his beloved sister. Everyone was surprised to find emotion, mainly confusion, upon her face. They were all so happy that she was able to hear them. Again, she whispered, "Jasper…"

Jensen and Jared frowned. They exchanged a scowl and recited at the same time, "Who's Jasper?" "Jasper is one of my sons," Carlisle filled the two in. He, too, was a bit confused as to how a simple name was able to break her free. "Jasper," she croaked and turned around to search the room for him. "Schuyler," Carlisle called as moved to kneel in front of the girl, "Are you alright?" He produced a small pen sized flashlight from his pocket, "I'm going to check your eyes." He flashed the light into her eyes. He frowned with what he discovered, "She's still not responding like we hoped. She is still trapped inside her mind. I think that whatever triggered her memory of Jasper is helping."

"So get him here!" Jared suggested as he arose quickly next to Carlisle. Carlisle frowned again, "I'm not sure that it will help, but I don't believe that it can hurt. Jasper is in the driveway. He'll be here in a few moments." The two groaned, but sat and waited for this "Jasper".

Jasper's Point of View

_Whose car is that?_ I wondered as I saw the black hummer in the drive way. As far as I knew, no one in Forks owned one, not even us. As I edged closer to the front door, I was overwhelmed by the emotion seeping through. I felt so much anger, desperation, loss, fear, and sadness. I hesitated. After a deep breath and a lot of composing, I entered the house. Inside, I found two big men, somewhere between myself and Emmett in build, sitting on the couch. Between them was a figure shrouded by blanket and across were Esme and Carlisle. I put two and two together and realized that something had gone horribly wrong. Four of the five turned to look at me as if they had been waiting.

"You Jasper?" A man with light blue eyes, eyes that resembled Schuyler's, and light brown hair questioned. His foot shook in anxiety. I watched the man cautiously as I pulled off the hood of my plaid jacket, "Who's asking?" The man growled and appeared before me with a quickness that only one of my kind could possess. I leaped backward with a hiss towards the man. For sure, he was no vampire. He smelled odd, much like Schuyler. _Oh_! That explains it.

"You're Schuyler's brother," I answered my own question. The man nodded impatiently and huffed, "Damn straight! You must be the Jasper we're looking for, then." They were looking for me? Why? I looked over to Carlisle for an explanation. Carlisle simply nodded solemnly towards the other couch were another man, Schuyler's other brother, sat beside the blanketed figure. My eyes followed and trained on the still figure. The gears in my head began to turn as I realized what was going on. Something bad had happened to Schuyler.

Immediately, I appeared before the huddled figure. Sure enough, it was Schuyler. But she was different. Her eyes were unfocused and she seemed like she was mentally somewhere else. The other brother, who had dark brown hair and hazel-brown eyes, said, "She's been like this for a while. We can't snap her out of it. The only response we got out of her was when Jensen sat on the remote and turned on some random song on MTV. She repeated your name a few times." "So fix her!" Jensen brooded as he fell back onto a love seat. He glared at me harshly. I ignored him and turned all of my attention to Schuyler. I kneeled before her seat on the couch.

I reached out to pull the blanket away from her head and shoulders. After spending so much time with the girl, I had learned that overheating was a bad thing for her. So for her to be clutching to the blazing hot blanket was the first omen. The second was her dead façade.

My eyes captured her unfocused orbs. As it usually was with Schuyler, I drowned in the blue and green hues and found myself captivated by them. Instinctively, my hand reached up to her face and caressed her pale cheeks. A frown crossed my face; her cheeks were normally rosy and glowed with life, even if the ivory skin was almost as pale as my own. My fingers trailed from her cheek bone to her lips. Again, they were different. They were no longer their light pink color, but were a light blue as if she wasn't getting enough oxygen. Her eyes scared me the most. They were dull and the magical sparkle that made her Schuyler was absent. The changes tore harshly at my heart's strings. Yes, my heart. It would seem that the forgotten organ had blazed to life once I had met her (metaphorically speaking, of course; I _was_ still dead). Her warmth made my icy skin blaze with passion and adoration. Schuyler, after only a few days, had come back into my life and changed my every whim and way. She had come, and with her had brought answers to many of my unanswered questions. She had answered my biggest questions, like will I ever be able to reconcile the terrible things that I've done? Her answer still rings in my ears like the chiming of bells, "_You're not a monster_… _You're my Guardian Angel_…" And she answered the one question that had been bothering me for my entire existence, "What do you live for when you can live forever?" The answer was clear now. I live for her.

"Schuyler," I whispered softly to the girl, my everything, "Wake up, love. It's time to wake up." I continued to caress her cheeks, lips, and neck. My other hand reached back into her hair and twirled a loose curl behind her ear. "Jasper?" Her voice cracked as if she had run a marathon in the Sahara without the aid of water. Her lovely eyes, one a forest and the other the ocean, sparked back to life. "I'm here," I added as I cradled her face in the palm of my hand. "Jasper?" She repeated. Her own hand reached up to lay atop my own. I moved to intertwine them. Naturally, she leaned into our joined hands and closed her exhausted eyes. Her eyes stayed closed for a minute, and then cracked open. Her sad, yet relieved eyes met my mine and I knew that my Schuyler was back.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, hoarse voiced from crying so much (I could easily make out the trails down her cheeks and the swelling of her eyes), "I didn't mean to-" "Shh," I hushed her. She quieted and closed her eyes and leaned her head on my shoulder. I inhaled her scent and it burned in my nostrils then soothed them. Her mixed scent always had that affect on me. Her blood burned me, but then the Immortality soothed and relieved all of my pain. Forgetting that we had an audience, I kissed her neck softly. I saw a small smile creep up onto her face from the corner of my eye. I kissed the pale, pulsing skin again, this time with a matching smile. She snuggled closer to me, and I made no move other than acceptance. I cradled the girl in my arms and felt my heart warm when I found that she fit perfectly.

"Ahem," someone cleared their throat. I glanced lazily over to the sound to find the two uncomfortable brothers glaring daggers at me. "Good, she's awake. Now, hand her over and we'll be on our way," Jensen seethed. He cracked his knuckles as if to intimidate me. I held the girl closer to me in response. The other man stood from his seat and took his turn, "Sorry, we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Jared, Schuyler's older _brother_. I'm the polite one in the family. So please, hand our dear little sister over or I'll _personally_ rip you to shreds and set you on _fire_." He said it all with a smile. In response, a growl rippled in my chest. It was unintended, but I couldn't say that I disagreed with the action.

"Perhaps," Carlisle, ever the peacemaker, interrupted, "I should check over Lor-Schuyler before any decisions are made. Schuyler might not be completely well, so it would be wise to keep Jasper around. Destroying him would not be the best choice at the moment." "Whatever," Jensen muttered unhappily. He glared at me, "But _you_, let go." I glared back. Carlisle set a hand on my shoulder and sent me a stern look. I sighed and stood, pulling Sky with me. She stood weakly, but managed to wobble to a stand far enough not to be touching me, but closer than she was to any other in the room. Our entwined hands never broke in connection. All four noticed that at the same time.

The brothers, who had known of her ability the longest, were stunned. "H-how?" Jared mumbled as he stared wide eyed at our hands. I shrugged. We weren't sure either. As for myself, I was just happy to hold her hand. Beside me, Schuyler's stature began to waver. "I-I don't feel s-so good," she whispered as her eyes fluttered open and close. Suddenly, her eyes rolled back into her skull and she began to fall roughly to the floor. "Sky!" I called to her as I crouched down and held her in my arms. Oddly enough, she looked peaceful, almost as if she was asleep. "NO!" Carlisle, Jared, and Jensen all yelled at once. The loud volume and unexpectedness of their cries surprised both Esme and I. I looked down to Schuyler to see that she remained peaceful. What are they yelling at?

"Let go of her! Quick!" Jared yelled as he backed away with his brother. Carlisle grabbed Esme and joined the two a few feet away from me. "Do as they say, Jasper! Hurry!" Carlisle warned sternly. What are they so hyped- Oh. _That's_ why.

I went to stand only to find that I had a few extra pounds. Sky had latched onto my waist. What in the world is she doing? I tried to peal her off, but her grip was too strong. "Oh, man," Jensen moaned, "Now what are we going to do?" "Just couldn't listen," Jared muttered as he glared evilly. What did I do? Carlisle found the will to explain, "Schuyler is asleep. I'm guessing that she hasn't slept in a few weeks." That was probably true. I've been up with her until dawn everyday. "When we don't sleep like that," Jared started as he referred to the two or more sleepless weeks, "Our bodies shut down, or in this case, we fall asleep. We stay asleep for twenty-four hours." "Schuyler is special," Carlisle sighs as he sits alongside Esme on the couch, "She hugs in her sleep. Anything or anyone who is within four feet of her will get roped in and she attaches to whatever is closest. Unluckily, you were closest. That means that you're stuck with her for the next twenty-four hours." Stuck with Schuyler for twenty-four hours? That doesn't sound too bad. _In fact_, I thought as I scooped her into my arms, _I like the idea_. The brother's saw my eagerness and frowned, "Carlisle, watch them. We have to take care of last minute problems in the restaurant so we'll be ready for tomorrow. If he even _thinks_ about trying something funny, we'll kill him. Keep that, and them, in mind."

"Jasper," Carlisle walked up to the couch where I was watching TV. "There's an emergency at the hospital. I'm probably going to be gone all night. I need you to take care of Lorie," he gestured towards Sky, who slept calmly at my side as she hugged around my waist. Emmett and Rosalie were on a hunting trip. The trio- Bella, Alice, and Edward- had shown up only minutes after the brothers left. It took a lot of convincing to get them to believe that Sky was alright and that I was taking care of her. After that, Alice left with Esme for a shopping trip that they had planned several days ago. Edward was with Bella at her house. That left Schuyler alone in the house with me.

Carlisle sighed heavily. He gave me a stern stare and admitted, "There's a little detail that I didn't tell you." What could that be? "Schuyler has an abnormally high temperature of 105 degrees. If she gets overheated…" Carlisle looked away to regain his lost composure. This made me worry. Carlisle had met Sky first and knew more about her. And if he was embarrassed, this must not be a good thing. "If she gets overheated, she starts to throw articles of clothing off. Make sure she stays cold. If not, you'll have to explain to a confused Schuyler tomorrow. Her wrath knows no limits." He paused as if remembering something painful. "Keep in mind that not only will I be disappointed in you, but Schuyler will be even more disappointed. And her disappointed is more violent and unforgiving." If I could blush, I would be a cherry. "Take care and be extremely careful and cautious," Carlisle warned as he left the house. _Great_, I thought as I stared down at the sleeping angel, _things just got a lot more complicated._


	14. Chapter 13 Bold

"Do you believe in God?"

-_Cassie, _Flyleaf

**Chapter 13**

_I Think Your Growl is Sexy_

This was a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Schuyler got hot _very_ easily. Already she had attempted to toss away her shirt. It took all of the will power I had to keep her from losing the article (I am a man after all). After several bad ideas, I managed to think up one that would work. To keep the blazing girl cold, I turned the thermostat down as low as possible and completely engulfed her with my body. Now, she sat cradled in my lap hugging my torso and using my chest for a pillow. I shifted on the couch so she could stretch farther into my hold. My arms wrapped tightly around her. She inhaled slowly and then exhaled a misty breath. I was quite pleased that my idea was working.

"Jazz…" She muttered in her sleep. She shifted around so she sat sideways and her side clung to my torso. Her head tucked itself under my chin and the arm that was not around me was folded to her chest. She groaned in her sleep and her eyes furrowed as she clenched a fistful of my shirt in her hand. She sighed happily then and rested her forehead on the base of my neck. This was the other reason for my distress. The girl was practically glued to me and I enjoyed it… I enjoyed it a little too much and now it was haunting me. I really wanted to kiss her. I wanted to _very_ badly. Now I can admit that I know Edward's pains with Bella. He always had to be careful with her, or else he'd kill her. Schuyler was a lot stronger than Bella and even if I wanted to hurt her, it would be like attacking a vampire (her blood is alluring, but her other scents help me by covering it). My problem was not with the fragileness of her body, but with the fragileness of her mind. I wanted Schuyler so badly, like Edward wanted his Bella. But Sky's mind, as I learned today, was so fragile. She's been through far too much and I didn't want to hurt her. That and jumping the poor girl would be very ungentlemanly of me.

"Jazz…" She whispered again as her fist clenched and unclenched. She's been calling my name for the past three hours. That definitely wasn't helping my restraint. I held the girl tighter and kissed her hair. That would have to do for now. Schuyler shifted again, but this time her shirt caught on a button on my shirt and it lifted to reveal her well toned abdomen and the scars lacing her lower back. I instantly looked away as the shirt continued to rise and pulled the fabric back down without looking. This was going to be a long twenty-one hours. I'm going to have to make a note to make her take more naps.

Emmett's Point of View

"Rose," I attempted to reason with my wife as she pouted, "Give Schuyler a chance. I don't see why you're so harsh with her. She's not like Bella. She isn't human, so give her a break." "She isn't one of us, Emmett," she answered as she sashayed past me. She flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and stopped at the front door to turn to me. "She's trouble," she stated simply. I sighed in acceptance; my wife would never be happy with other women. Well, the little firecracker wasn't really a woman like my Rose; she was more of a mini-woman. She looked so young and body-wise she was still fifteen (although some of her assets made me believe otherwise, _if you catch my drift_). I reached forward to unlock the door and let Rose walk in first. She floated right in and I followed suit.

Speaking of the little firecracker, I wonder what she's doing right now. Hmm, if I had to guess, I'd say she was probably with Jasper. It was so obvious that the two liked each other, and I even heard from Edward that the two are finally together. That and they were _alone_. _Together_. In the house that Rose and I were stepping into. Hmm, maybe we should have gone somewhere else for the night. There's no telling what those two crazy love birds were doing right now- "What is she doing here. Better yet, what are you two doing?" Rose snarled as she stood next to the couch. With a giant, impish smirk plastered on my face, I joined my wife. They must have been caught in the act-

The smirk fell quickly when I saw what they were really doing. Rose scowled in distaste, "Great, another _human_ in the house." She pivoted around and flew up the stairs without requesting an explanation. I watched her leave then turned to my brother, "What the hell, man?" He stared at me blankly, "She fell asleep." And here I thought that my brother would be all over her. Hah, no. He lets her fall asleep. He needs help. "That's sad, bro," I shook my head in disbelief. I guess Edward was mistaken. Oh well, they'll get together eventually. "Whatever man," I shook my head and waved him off. I followed my wife up the stairs. You'd think he'd react differently with her glued to him like that.

Schuyler's Point of View

Emm…

I snuggled closer to my pillow. Mmm, what a nice nap. I guess I stayed up for one too many days, not to mention that little fiasco with the memories… I shuddered at the thought of the man who terrified me so. My pillow moved and I felt something soft and warm be draped over me. I groaned and hugged the pillow closer. Bad moving pillow!

…

Oh. Wait.

Pillows don't move.

My eyes flew open and I snapped instantly into a sit. Or at least I tried. The pillow had a death grip on me, so I could only lift my body high enough to come face to face with the moving object. "Jasper?" I muttered, my voice cracking against my will. The honey blonde was lying underneath me and staring deeply into my eyes. One of his arms was wrapped around my waist and his free hand was tangled in my hair. I looked around the unfamiliar dimly lit room in confusion. I was in someone's bedroom; this was not where I fell asleep at. Where am I?

I was lying on top of Jasper underneath a comforter on a bed… Okay, this was not good. I followed my arms to find them wrapped around Jasper and tucked under his back. Uh-oh. A curl fell in my face, so I blew it away. Jasper finally moved by untangling his hand from my messy bed hair. "Umm… I'm a little confused," I confessed as I looked around. I was in a darkly colored room that had one wall made entirely of glass. The noonday sun shined from behind the clouds for a moment and made my skin glow and Jasper sparkle.

"You fell asleep," Jasper explained simply as he suddenly sat up, bringing me with him. "Oh, umm…" I struggled for words as my face heated up. I turned away quickly and shut my eyes, "Uh, err… shirt… no. Oh, dear." He chuckled huskily and kissed my ear, "You were overheating and your clothes continuously caught on my shirt, so I solved the problem." Well, if this wasn't embarrassing, I don't know what was. "Y-yes… hot, very hot!" I might as well stuff my foot in my mouth. Against my better judgment, I cracked an eye open and peeked as his muscular, BARE, pale white marble chest. My face got even hotter. I won't even bother telling you the state of my heart. "Your heart is racing," he teased, amused by my flustered demeanor. He pulled me into his lap, wrapped his arms completely around my waist, and pulled me directly into him so my side was pressed against him and my face was only inches away from his own. He smirked cockily as his gold eyes simmered, "Are you any colder now?"

Well, someone's quite bold this morning. I tried to avoid the sparkling bare skin of his chest, and I was quite proud when I succeeded. "I used you as a pillow, didn't I?" I asked apologetically. His smirk widened into a smile, "Yes. You had quite the death grip on me for twenty four hours straight." "Sorry," I muttered at my mistake. "I didn't mind," he replied as he buried his face into my neck and disheveled hair. Okay, I rephrase the previous statement; he is **REALLY** bold this morning.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked worriedly. He grunted in response and kissed my neck softly. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his forwardness. Finally, after a few minutes, he sighed and unearthed himself from my hair. He leaned his forehead against mine and whispered, "I'm sorry." "It's okay," I blurted, "I don't think I mind." Hey, I was confused. That didn't mean I didn't like the close proximity. He arched an eyebrow. "You're not talking about the nice greeting are you?" I guessed. He smiled and kissed my forehead. "No," he answered simply. He unlatched himself from me and got off of the bed. I sat dumbly as he searched the floor for something. He sighed when he couldn't find what he was looking for and walked over to a dresser that was pushed against the wall. He fished out a t-shirt (he was probably looking for the one he had thrown off) and pulled it over his head. I took great pleasure in watching the muscles in his back twitch and flex as he did so. Oh, I could get used to this.

"I was referring to not being there for you," he added to his previous statement. His face took on a look of guilt. "What do you mean?" I shifted and stretched out my legs. I frowned when my foot caught on something under the sheets and pulled it off. Well, found his shirt. I laid the article on one of the many white pillows and turned back to Jasper. "You were hurt." Hurt? Is he referring to my little (okay, okay- BIG) breakdown? "Jazz," I sighed as I, too, stood. I pushed my half curly, half wavy hair out of my face, "It was inevitable. I'm not too… comfortable with men, or anyone really, touching me. I tend to be reminded of some… rather bad events." He backed away farther from me and looked even guiltier. Quickly realizing my mistake, I raised my hands like a white flag, "No! I don't mind you touching me! It's the people that aren't you that I worry about. Now that I think about it, you're the only one who doesn't scare me…" My hand traced over an old scar on my arm that remained after the bone broke and burst through the skin. I shivered at the memory that I had recently been forced to relive.

"Oh, SHOOT!" I suddenly shouted, which made Jasper jump, as I grabbed the sides of my head. I whined a little and closed my eyes in distress once life finally caught up to me. I had three big worries now. First off, my brothers were going to flip! They didn't know that I'd gone catatonic. They must be so worried and are probably looking all over the place for me! Second, it was Tuesday! The restaurant was having its grand opening today at six. Oh, why! There was still so much that I was supposed to do! And thirdly, what about Edward? I'm positive that he's seen my memories… he's seen what happened to me. Not even Jasper knows the details. How am I going to face Edward?

"Sky, what's wrong?" Jasper appeared right before me. He reached for my hands frantically and gathered them up in his own. "I've got a lot on my plate," I whispered vaguely. He nodded and brought our hands to his mouth. He kissed both of my hands gently. I felt my face heat up again. "Everything has already been taken care of. Your brothers know that you are here and are well. Before they left yesterday, they told us to tell you that they would take care of all of the last minute arrangements at the restaurant and that you should relax until six. And they called the school this morning, so that is taken care of too." Phew, it feels good to be able to cross those off my list. I sighed with relief.

I looked over to the digital clock sitting on the night stand beside the large king sized bed. 11:36 lit up in red. So, with school being out of the question, I had a lot of time to kill. What to do? "Stay here," Jasper suggested as if he had just read my mind. "Stay?" I repeated as the suggestion caught me off guard. He nodded and kissed my hands again. The topaz liquid swirled and smoldered in his eyes; they hypnotized me. "Okay," I blurted before I even thought about it. Jasper's smile grew. He pulled me back over to the bed, where we both sat down across from each other. "So, what do you have in mind?" I reflected his smile with a bright one of my own. Within the blink of an eye, Jasper grabbed me around the waist and pulled me to his chest as he fell onto his back. Back to square one. The god smiled radiantly, "I want to know more about you." Didn't expect that.

"What's your favorite color?" He continued in his southern symphony. "Gold," I blurted out immediately. _Gold?_ I scoffed inwardly. _My favorite color's always been the unnamed color that only vampires can see._ But then I realized that gold was the color of Jasper's eyes. _Oh, _that's_ why_, I mused as he chuckled. Wow, did I have it bad or what? "What about you?" I retorted. He smiled and readjusted our position so I laid out completely over him and my head lingered above his own. He held me closer with one arm and traced his fingers on the skin of my back. He thought quietly, and then answered with a whisper, "I'm torn between two lovely shades of green and blue." Okay, so I'm not the only one who had it bad. Now normally, I wasn't the type of girl who cried "aww". So instead I blushed and rested my chin on his chest so I could be on the same level as him.

"If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you be?" He asked next. "Wherever you are." Oh, jeez, here I go again with the love-sick puppy sappiness. He smiled fondly and played with a random lock of my hair. "I was thinking along the same lines." We sat in content silence for a few minutes. "Sky?" "Hmm?" "Do you believe in God? Do you think that there is a place for us to go when we're gone?" I looked to his serious face thoughtfully. He, like the rest of his family (except for Carlisle) as I had learned, believed that they were all bound for eternal damnation. He felt like this 'life' that had been forced upon him was the greatest punishment and that when he would die, he would be thrust into the flames and be forced to endure that fire for eternity. It was grim, but to them it made sense.

I smiled fondly to the torn man and whispered confidently, "Yes, I do very much." My answer caught him by surprise. His hands paused as he retorted, "With all that has happened and living with what you are, how can you believe that, and so strongly none-the-less?" I chose my words carefully, "I didn't always believe. When I was a human, I lived in a puritan village. My entire life in that colony was based on spite. They hated me so strongly and insisted that I was the Devil's abomination. I hated them all. For the longest time, I was angry and I found myself blaming God. It wasn't until after my brother's left that I realized something. I realized that after all those years I had blamed him that at the same time I believed in him. Around the time that Renee died, I had a change of heart and embraced my discovery. Instead of hating him, I pleaded with him. I remember praying every single night to him. I asked him to help my mother and cure her, I begged him to watch over my family, be the member alive or perished, and most of all I pleaded for him to help save us.

For awhile, things were okay, but then _he_ came knocking. I wanted to hate God so much, and at the same time I didn't want to believe he existed. But I knew that there was no way that he couldn't. It wasn't until years after I escaped that I realized that. Bad things happen, but so do the good. There are so many things that are out there that we cannot explain. I can't possibly say that God doesn't exist. I would be lying if I did."

I stopped and blushed. I looked up to Jasper with a sheepish frown, "You can stop me from rambling anytime." He smiled amusedly and chuckled as he pulled a curl straight and then watched as it bounced back into place. "I like it when you talk. It keeps me grounded." I arched an eyebrow in curiosity. "I tend to get lost in thought," he added, "Your voice keeps me awake." Hmm, nice. I smiled and stretched out over him like a lazy cat. I hooked my arms around his torso and rested my chin onto his clothed marble chest so the coolness of his body could diminish the blazing heat of my own. _I could get used to this_, I thought as my smile turned lazy. "Well, if that is the case, then I shall answer the second half of your question." He arched an eyebrow expectantly. His fingers found their way under my shirt and traced in a line over my spine. I shivered happily, "That feels nice." His smile broadened as he continued the motion. "As I was saying," I cleared my throat, "I believe that there is a place for everyone. Unlike Edward, the doom-and-gloom vampire extraordinaire, I don't believe that we're all going to burn in a blazing pit somewhere. I think that we can enjoy heaven like everyone else." "That's a nice thought," he smiled thoughtfully. He didn't believe me. "Jasper," I whispered as my eyes took on a rebellious sheen, "We have been condemned to be _what_ we are. That doesn't mean that we are condemned to suffer for eternity because of it. Vampires can be evil, and yes, they do kill people as it is in their nature. But there are also people like the Cullens, like you, who fight what they are to _save_ lives. Excuse me for refusing to believe that someone who completely goes against their nature to save a life will be damned to hell for being of the kind that goes with it and does kill. There is a place for us, too. I just know it." Jasper stayed silent. I could tell that he was pondering the thought. I could also tell that the guilty side of his being refused it.

"But enough of the biblical talk," I sighed as I closed my eyes, "we'll return to that when the actual event arises." I snuggled into his chest contently. "You know," he whispered as he slid his fingers through my hair, "You're pretty weird." I smiled despite myself, "That's what they tell me." I felt a small growl vibrate in his chest. I lifted my head to give him a questioning glance. He smiled sheepishly and looked away in embarrassment, "Sorry." My confusion and curiosity did not weaken. He saw that and rolled his eyes, "It was a happy growl." My eyebrow rose even higher, "A happy growl?" There was such a thing? Hmm, maybe it's something like a cat purring. He looked away again in complete embarrassment.

"Well, I think it's very sexy," I retorted with a big grin on my face. This time he looked at me with the incredulous face. My smile widened in response. I heard the 'happy' growl again and before I knew it, I was pinned down under the owner. He wasted no breath on words and cut right to the kissing.

"You really think it's sexy?" He smirked, well, sexily as he hovered over me. I found myself lost in his boiling gold eyes and answered quickly, "Oh yeah." The growl vibrated in his chest again. I giggled (eh, I hate giggling) and leaned up to kiss his frozen lips. Then, I disappeared from under him and appeared leaning against his dresser. Jasper frowned at the empty space I had just been in and turned to me with crankiness for ruining the moment.

I shrugged innocently and gestured to my figure, "Still kinda human here. Do you mind if I borrow some clothes from someone and take a shower? I feel kind of gross." Jasper appeared with vampiric speed right next to me. He shifted through neat stacks of clothing and pulled out two articles. He handed them to me and disappeared through another door, the bathroom. I heard the water from the shower cascade down to the tile floor. He appeared before me with a smirk. "Sorry, Darling, but this is something I must do alone," I winked as I dramatically swept into the bathroom. I heard him groan when I closed and locked the door behind him. As I shed my clothes and stepped into the cold shower (I'd have to thank him for that later), I found myself wondering if he was just playing around or if he was serious about joining me. Hmm? Who knows?


	15. Chapter 14 Lullaby

Note: This is where the original plot of Stephanie Meyer begins to bend to my will. Ah, sweet power of the pen. Of course, however, all character except for the zany few of my own creation belong to one Mrs. Stephanie Meyer. The lovely little tune in here, however, is one hundred percent mine.

**Chapter 14**

_More than Coincidence_

"Jasper!"

I heard my god-like boyfriend's chuckle through the bathroom door. I can't believe him! I glared at my image in the mirror. That sneaky vampire! I can't believe he gave me this to wear! In my rush to shower, I didn't bother to check what Jasper had handed me. Now, I seriously regretted it.

I glared at the two reflected eyes in the mirror. The blue orb and the green orb were drastically contrasting, yet they both shined with life. My wet shoulder-blade length hair hung loosely and straight after I had brushed through it. And then I saw the clothes. The black button down shirt reached down to my thighs, where I could not say the pair of boxer shorts reached to. Alright, the shirt wouldn't be so bad if the first five or so buttons weren't missing. That means that the shirt is wide open all the way to the middle of my stomach. That means that my black bra was in view along with half my cleavage. The boxers he gave me weren't any better. The black boxers were a tad too big for me and hung loosely off my hips, yet they only reached mid-thigh. Basically, there was a lot of skin and not enough clothing.

"Ha, ha, Jasper. Very Funny!" I called to him bitterly. I heard his laughter boom freely through the house, "I think they'll look wonderful." "That's not the word for it," I muttered as I tried to cover the cleavage with the shirt edges; it didn't work. The shirt was made to fit a thin man snuggly. That means that there is no way it's going to cover a girl with a c-cup bust. I frowned when I spotted the scar crossing over my collar bone. My fingers reached up to trace the white scar. And then the most peculiar thing happened.

I felt a black veil float over my sight and everything went dark. I felt the familiar departure of my mind leaving my body. I heard the sound, which started out fuzzy, and then the blurry images came to life. And like before, with no power or control over my body I sat back and watched the black and white images play. This 'vision' was different then the others. The images were muted like a silent movie at first, but then a sound did come; it was a song I knew all to well. I recognized that tune to be a lullaby that I had written in Dutch for my Edward. The once soothing lullaby sounded eerie as it was sung quietly, yet more powerfully then it had ever been sung before. I then noticed that I was the one singing.

"Songbird sings

Flies on with broken wings

Into the shadow of the rising sun"

_The bright light of the morning sun flashed and then I found myself in a room that was white and cold and the light was dimmed. On what I guessed to be a hospital bed was a faceless girl flailing and screaming. She was in utter agony. Her partially nude body was slathered with blood and the cuts and mutilations were numerous. Carlisle, alongside his team of doctors, rushed and shouted as they tried to stop the blood from flowing. The look on my dear friend's face was one that I sincerely wished to never witness ever again. His face was distorted by pain and anguish and helplessness, and his eyes revealed the crazed, tortured man in his soul. The monitors that kept the girl's heartbeat faltered with the vital organ and then sputtered to a flat line. Carlisle yelled in disbelief and tried desperately to bring the woman back to life. He was pulled away by the woeful doctors minutes later. The man stared in disbelief for the longest time. His shock was only interrupted by the dry sobs that racked his entire body. _

"Hush dear, no need for tears

Songbird sings only for you_"_

_I mourned with him for the faceless girl. I did not know her identity, but the loss tore Carlisle so much that I felt that I should ease his pain by mourning over the death with him._

"Gone for the moments

Songbird flew_"_

_I looked over the girl one more time and frowned when I noticed two things that coincided with a previous vision. The girl had a crescent shaped bite mark a little above her collar bone and draped around her neck right next to it was a shiny metal. I frowned in perplexity and struggled to read the metal. Under the image of an angel was the name "ST. GABRIEL."_

"Hide in the shadows

Songbird knew_"_

_This one was short and starred a boy that I had never seen before. The boy had shaggy black hair and bright glowing eyes. He couldn't have been any older than 16. The hoodie and jeans clad boy was shouting. His gentle, beautiful face was contorted with anger. For reasons that not even I could grasp, I reached out for the lonely boy. I wanted to protect him and save him. Somehow, he reminded me of my Edward, a feat that none other had ever achieved. _

"Forever your own

This lullaby,

This bird_"_

_The boy was struck down by a hand. The owner was covered in shadow so I could not make out his identity. The image faded as the boy stood bravely to face his fear. I prayed silently that he would be alright._

_The faceless girl starred this vision, too. She was standing by two unfamiliar men in a crowd of similar, beautiful people. They all stood at the ready as if anticipating the fight of their lives. The faceless girl, for some reason I couldn't see her face but I could see her eyes; her eyes were somewhat lifeless and final. The eyes had the sheen of a person with nothing to lose. I could see the courage in her eyes strengthen as she stood tall, yet so alone, with her chin raised in pride. She began to speak…_

"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry

Songbird sings only for you_"_

_The mysterious boy was back, but this time he was in the arms of the faceless girl. The boy clung to her as if she were the only thing connecting him to the world and the girl returned the gesture by embracing him with the love of a parent. _

"From within the shadow of the setting sun

On broken wings and with words to be sung_"_

_The boy buried his face in her hair and held tighter as dry sobs racked his body. The girl's lips began to move rhythmically as the lullaby, my lullaby, drifted from her lips and we sang..._

"Only for you,

Songbird hummed,

Only for you

My love, my love

If only for you._"_

Jasper's Point of View

"Schuyler?" I called out worriedly. She didn't respond. Surely, I thought, she's not that mad. I walked up to the door and knocked, "Schuyler, are you alright?" Again, I received no answer. I pounded on the door with great restraint, "Schuyler! This isn't funny!" It was dead silent. "That's it," I muttered. I didn't hesitate to break the door in half and rush in. Schuyler didn't make any sign that showed she realized that something was going on. She was standing in front of the mirror with a blank stare. Her hand was frozen over a scar on her collar bone. I panicked. I knew where that scar came from; her bastard (ex-) husband Gabriel broke her bones, that's how. I appeared before her and tried to reach her by caressing her face and calling her name. She didn't respond. I was about to rush to find my phone to call Carlisle, but I remembered something. "Alice!" She had had Alice's gift, but I thought it only lasted for that one time? I guess we all underestimated her gift.

And then something odd happened…she started to sing. The words were not in English, they were Dutch. Luckily, I knew the language, but the words were from the oldest version of the language, so I could only understand some of it.

The tune sent chills up my spine and the hollowness in her eyes didn't help. I didn't understand why she was singing; Alice had never done that when she had a vision. Seeing that there was nothing to do but wait, I stepped back and listened to the song.

"Song bird sings

Flies on with broken wings

Into the shadow of the rising sun

Hush dear, no need for tears

Song bird sings only for you

Gone for the moments

Songbird flew

Hide in the shadows

Songbird knew

Forever your own

This lullaby,

This bird

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry

Songbird sings on only for you

From within the shadow of the setting sun

On broken wings and with words to be sung

Only for you,

Songbird hummed,

Only for you

My love, my love

If only for you."

It wasn't until the end that I realized that I knew the melody. My eyebrow furrowed at the notion. How did Schuyler know Bella's lullaby? And how is it that she knows the melody so well that she could create words for it? And why in Dutch? Why not in English?

The room was silent for a long while. The time felt longer than my entire existence. Finally, Schuyler's bright mix matched eyes regained their light. She blinked a few times until she noticed me. Her face contorted with confusion, "Jasper, when did you get there?" I grabbed hold of her forearms and kissed her briefly before taking her hands prisoner in my own. I leaned my forehead against hers and sighed in relief, "You're okay." "Yeah," she whispered worriedly. She looked up through my half lidded eyes with her own sparkling, shining orbs, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It just… happened." She continued to babble with apologies, but I just held her tight. Words can not even begin to express how thankful I am that she's alright. The thought of not being able to wake her terrified me more than I've ever been in my entire life.

"Jasper?" She stopped to say my name. I heard something like embarrassment in the tone. "Hmm?" I mumbled as I snuggled into her neck. "Um, can you please leave and bring me back different clothes? Please?" My eyebrows arched as I pulled back to see her.

Schuyler was crossing her arms over her chest and looking away with the brightest shade of red covering her ears and face. I then noticed the effect of my little prank and smiled. "I like it." Oh, wrong answer. She glared at me and then disappeared. I heard her rummaging through my drawers, so naturally, I followed her. Let's just say that this view was even better.

Finally, after turning as red as a cherry, she found a pair of my jeans and a t-shirt. I frowned. She noticed and smiled. Then, she stuck her tongue out, "No more skimpy for you." Deciding to tease her further, I smirked, "You should put your tongue away before you lose it." Oh, I lied. THIS is the reddest that I've seen a face turn. It was so red that I became a little uncomfortable by the blood rush. Schuyler disappeared into the bathroom to change.

Schuyler's Point of View

"What were you singing?"

"Singing?" I questioned as I pulled the t-shirt over my head. "Yes," he spoke from the other side of the door (or what was left of it; he was being a gentleman and was turned in the other direction), "You were singing a lullaby in Dutch." "I was?" I replied off-guard as I threw my wet curling hair into a pony tail. Uh-oh, I hadn't realized that I was actually singing out loud. I thought it was just the _memory_ of me singing it. "Have you ever heard Edward play the piano?" He asked out of the blue. "I can't say that I have," I muttered as I looked around for something to use as a belt. I prevailed when I actually found one. "He plays the piano?" I added. Humph, who knew the annoying boy could play music? Well, that makes me think he's less annoying. Go music!

"He has a lullaby that he wrote for Bella. It's nearly the exact same as yours, but his doesn't have any words to it. Are you sure you haven't heard it before?" "What?" I responded VERY confused. "There's no way," I continued as I left the bathroom, "I wrote that very song when I was still human, which was several centuries ago. No one's ever heard it except for myself, my brothers, and Edw- er, family. No one else." I quickly sweep across the room to the corner farthest from Jasper. Big uh-oh, I made a big slip of the tongue. "Who?" Jasper followed me with questioning eyes. "No one, so, your dearest brother can play the piano? I, for one, would love to hear." "Sky," He groaned, "Please, who were-" "Speak of the devil!" I exclaimed as the door downstairs opened and shut, "And the devil shall appear!"

I flew out of the room like a bat out of hell.

"Yo, special Ed, I heard you can play the piano!" I greeted him as soon as he stepped foot in the house. Bella trotted in right beside him. Esme and Alice came in right after them. They all took in my clothing, but only Edward spoke, "Busy night?" I glared at him, not amused, "Ha, great joke. And no, I needed clothes, so I borrowed some from Jasper." I then glanced at the grand piano through the corner of my eye and gestured towards it. "You, go play." He looked confused. Jasper appeared behind me and gave his two cents, "She wants to hear Bella's Lullaby." "Yes, Bella's Lullaby. I've become aware of some plagiarism attempts." I saw a light of understanding shine in his eyes. He nodded and strolled over to the grand instrument. He sat down and began to play.

_No way_! I thought in complete shock. There is absolutely no way that he could know this! It's impossible! Oh, how does he know this? My flattened demeanor lifted as I lost myself in the melody. Oh, what the heck. I opened my mouth and allowed the foreign words to slip through and shine alongside the piano's keys. My eyes drifted shut in bliss as each note that played coincided with the words that I sung. The song ended far too soon. I reveled in the melody for several minutes before I could open my eyes. Everyone was staring at me. "Hey," I stated, "I sang it first."

"Your voice… wow," Bella commented in awe. "Oh, thanks!" I smiled brightly as a light blush lit my face. "What a coincidence! This is quite… odd," Esme remarked as she looked between Edward and I in astonishment. "Yeah," I chuckled half heartedly, "Odd; that's me." Jasper stood silently at my side. He made no move or sign to show what he was feeling, yet I could practically feel the agitation radiating off of him. Alice found her time to speak, "You still have my ability. Maybe you heard Edward playing the song in a vision." Okay, I love Alice to death, but her faith in me stinks.

"No," I explained slowly and carefully this time, "I wrote that song centuries ago, like I-was-still-human-at-the-time-ago. Basically, before all of you were even born." "Then, this must be a coincidence. I'm sure things like this have happened. It's rare, but it happens," Esme added to lighten the situation. I still didn't buy it, and by the look on Edward's face, he didn't either. In fact, he had a look of realization. And then, he just had to go and say, "Can I talk to you?" Those have never been good words. Never. "We're talking," I gestured nervously. "_Alone,_" he emphasized with a look of complete seriousness. I looked from Jasper to Bella for help. Bella looked a little uncomfortable and uncertain. Jasper was really unhappy. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my entire frame to create a steal cage and then rested his chin on top of my head.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Just a few minutes and I'll give her back." Jasper hesitated. Alice, his best friend, and Esme, his adopted mother, both gave him encouraging (and somewhat dangerous) looks. Jasper caved with a sigh, unwound himself, and nudged me towards his brother, "Five minutes." Traitor. I made sure to glare at him before I followed Edward outside of the house.

"Alright, what's your problem?" I glared at the forever teen. He sighed and glared, but his passion drained quickly. He gave me a look of pity, a look I knew all too well. My mind yelled at me to run. Truthfully, I would have high tailed it and ran if there weren't a house full of vampires who would chase after me. "This isn't about exchanging musical notes, is it?" I chuckled dryly. "That guy I saw, the one you were seeing in your mind. Who is he?" "That's none of your concern!" I snapped at him. I even felt a growl vibrate in my chest. Wow, didn't know that I could do that.

"That song… It's connected to him somehow. And…" He struggled for the right words. In frustration, he groaned and messed his hair up with his hands. He looked at me with confused and pained eyes and I almost felt sorry for him. _Almost_ being the keyword. He continued, "I-it's all so familiar." My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "How so?" "Well," he struggled for words, "that guy, I've never seen someone so evil-" I cut him off by turning to walk away. I didn't want to join the pity party. Hell, I wanted to _burn_ the pity party. "It's you that's familiar!" I stopped on a dime.

I looked over my shoulder to him, "Again, I say 'how so'?" He ran his hand through his already tousled hair. "I don't know," he groaned as he gripped his head in pain, "It hurts to remember." I gave him a look of great confusion. "I've seen you before, when I was a little kid. I-I-" He gripped his head tighter as the pain increased.

I sighed. "If it hurts, then don't remember. I can tell you already that I've never met you before. I would remember someone as irritating as you." It was meant to be a joke to calm him down, but he seemed only more pained as he tried to recall. Finally, he dropped his hands and glared, "I was born on June 20, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois. My mother was Elizabeth Masen and my father was Edward Masen. Both died of the Spanish Influenza. And those words you were singing they were so familiar-"

I stopped listening around that time. Masen? Edward was named after his father and surely his father probably received and handed the name down from a long line of Masen's. Masen. That was a name that I hadn't heard in such a long time… one I hadn't been able to utter for even longer. So that was the connection…

"I must be off," I interrupted his babbling. I smiled wearily, waved, and ran off in the general direction of my house. I ran faster than Edward and he knew it. I escaped successfully with only one other thought in mind- to find the padlocked dusty chest hidden somewhere in the attic of my home. It was a small wooden chest that held the answers to Edward's questions and the truth behind my biggest fear.


	16. Chapter 15 Happy

Chapter 15

_Anderson's_

"But we loved with a love that was more than love-

I and my Annabel Lee

With a Love that the winged seraphs of heaven

Coveted her and me."

**-**AnnabelLee, _Edgar Allan Poe_

"Alright, this is it! Is everybody ready?"

A chorus of "yes, ma'am" echoed in the sunlit room. I smiled happily to my crew and saluted them, "Man the stations!" Instantly, every one of my employees raced to their assigned position, be it at the front door or in the kitchen at the grill. I looked at my watch, which read 4:59, and reached out to push a button on the jukebox's touch screen. "Commence the operation! Tyler!" The young man, who was adorned with a uniform much like my own (except he had a pair of black pants instead of my black skirt), unlocked the door to the restaurant where a line of customers were quickly ushered in and seated. As the curious residents of Forks filed in, I swooped all around the restaurant to aid the waiters and waitresses. Within seconds, an upbeat track filled the room with its melody (but at a hushed level; it was loud enough to hear and enjoy, but not loud enough to interrupt). I fell into the tempo and twirled around gracefully from table to table. I smiled at every customer, advised the best dishes available, and mingled with the friendly guests. Once all of the customers and employees were comfortable (and some were swooning; ah, how proud I am), I disappeared behind the swinging kitchen doors.

Inside the kitchen was organized chaos. I loved it! "Hey, Jare, how's everything going?" I shouted into the large room filled with bustling cooks and chefs. My brother popped out from the storage room and beamed, "We're doing amazingly well!" I cheered happily. Being me, I decided to spread my cheer by flipping the switch on one of the speakers. Instantly, music thudded from the speakers. Again, I was caught up in the beat and swirled and danced about as I helped make some of the food. "How are things going so far?" I questioned a younger cook (she looked to be in her early 20s) as she squeezed lemon juice on one of the entrees. The seemingly timid woman smiled and nodded, "Great!" "That's great to hear!" I beamed back. I repeated the action with several of the other employees. Let's just say that when I was done, the cooks and chefs were the liveliest bunch of cooks and chefs on this side of the US. My work here is done.

I left the kitchen and crossed the room, waiting tables and refilling drinks as I went, until I reached my other brother, who was at the doors waiting for more customers (although we were already full). "Wow, this is a great turnout!" I smiled to him. I had a feeling that the smile was there to stay. Jensen beamed back, "I know! I didn't expect this many people! It's only been half an hour and we're already utilizing all of the space outside. It's a good thing we hired so much help. Kudos to you, kid." We stopped to look around at the spirited group of people and couldn't help our rising pride at the excited, happy atmosphere. I was truly amazed by the turnout! There were several high schoolers, families, dates, cops, elderly persons, young children, and even a few stragglers from La Push! Wow, _my_ kudos to the bros for spreading the word. I'm proud. I couldn't have imagined such success even in my wildest imagination. "We did good," Jensen proudly admired our work alongside me. He then turned to greet a family of four, "Hello, welcome to Anderson's. If you'll follow me, I can seat you outside in the garden area…" His voice trailed off as he escorted them out through the open glass doors and onto the patio.

Yes, Anderson's. The name, I'll admit, isn't very original, but we couldn't really think of another name. We were considering our first names for awhile, but that didn't work. In the end, we agreed upon our last. Anyway, things are going great! We've never had so much success before. And the employees are great! They're so lively and hard working. I'm so proud of everyone!

"Miss, can I get a refill?" "Right away!" Duty calls!

Phew, eight o'clock.

Only an hour till closing time.

If I had to grade our grand opening on a scale from one to ten, I would chose thirteen. Yeah, we did THAT good. Throughout the entire night, we had only a few mishaps, but either my brothers or myself handled the situation and voila! No problem. But as the hours rolled on, I realized a little mistake that I might have made. I invited the Blacks _and_ the Cullens. I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure that vampires and werewolves aren't exactly the best of friends. And me being, well, me, I invited them both. At the same time. Yes, bad Schuyler. Anyway, the minutes are ticking away and I still haven't seen them-

"Lucy, I'm home!"

I spoke too soon.

"So glad you could come, pup," I greeted flatly. I then noticed the two lanky, tall teens on either side and grimaced. "What does this look like to you? A Kennel?" Great, he brought along the bottomless pit friends. I think I just felt my pockets catch on fire. Jacob's smile widened, "I'll disregard that remark simply because you'll be the one to feed us. _For free_." His friends smirked as well. I rolled my eyes, "You haven't eaten all day, have you?" "Nope," he smiled even happier as he patted his flat belly. "Billy!" I whined. I twirled gracefully around them and stuck my head out of the door. "Hold your horses, I'm here." An older, yet pretty woman pushed my old friend's wheelchair across the sidewalk to the door. Another man, one wearing a policeman's uniform, stalked up behind them. He fidgeted nervously and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Sue, Charlie, this is Schuyler. She and her brothers own this restaurant," Billy gestured between the three of us. "Oh, hello," I beamed as I held out a gloved hand to the two newcomers. The woman returned my smile and shook my hand, "I'm Sue. It's nice to meet you, Schuyler." I liked her. The brown haired man reluctantly shook my hand also, "Charlie Swan. Nice to meet you." Swan? "Swan? You wouldn't happen to have a daughter, would you?" "Hm? You know Bella?" "Yes," I nodded, "I just transferred here. She was the first friend in Forks that I made." "That's good to hear. Now that I think of it, Bella has mentioned a 'Sky' several times. It sounds like the two of you are good friends." "Very much so," I nodded before gesturing towards the door. "Please come inside, It's getting very cold out." I ushered the large party inside and sat them down at a large table that I had set up just for them. They sat down and pulled out the menus. I took their drink orders and left for the kitchen.

By now, the crowd had thinned out so that no one had to sit outside in the cold (the sun had gone down, and with it the temperature). "Jensen, Jared," I called the two. I shimmied through the fewer number of chefs and stopped in front of my brothers. "Hey, you two," I started as I filled a few glasses, "The Blacks are here. Everything they order is on me." "The Blacks?" Jared shouted. A loud bang echoed off the walls as several of the pans fell to the floor. "Yes," I rolled my eyes, "I invited Billy and his son and let them bring a few friends." "Son?" Jensen questioned as he popped out from behind me. "Yes," I nodded as a smile washed across my brother's face. I pulled my order book out of the patch of my black apron and smacked him in the head with it. "Yes, _son_. I'm not going to hook up with his dad. Don't even think about mentioning it." I placed the drinks on the tray and swept out of the room.

"Are you ready to order?" I smiled to the party as I placed a drink in front of each person. I took all of their orders and wrote them down on the order slip. I was doing great until I got to Jacob, "I'll have this, this, this, oh! And this! You know what? I'll just order this entire side of the menu!" The nerve of this wolf. "How about you try this," I pointed to one of the platters. I leaned down to his ear while everyone was preoccupied and whispered, "We even use real dog!" It was a joke. Jacob frowned and placed the menu down to recite a regular order. Jacob's friends laughed at his mere meal. Jacob glared lazily at them and responded, "I lost my apatite." I felt perkier after that.

"So, how do you know Schuyler?" Sue asked Billy curiously. I answered for him, "Billy, here, was my mother's best friend." Sue nodded in understanding. Jacob, however, snorted and tried to hide his laugh. I held a restrained smile and turned to him with a glare. "Oh, yeah," he coughed, "Her mom." "Charming," I muttered before leaving for the kitchen to drop off the orders.

It wasn't until 8:50 that the Cullen's arrived. By then the crowd had gone along with all of our staff (except for Jared and Jensen; everything was done and mostly cleaned, we let them go home early) and Billy, Sue, and Charlie had left. I can't say the same about the three boys who still occupied the table. They told Billy ten minutes ago to go ahead and leave and that they would go home soon after. And you want to know why they stayed? They were still eating. Well, that and coming up with new ways to annoy me. Thankfully, they were done and ready to leave by the time my other new friends stepped inside. Unluckily, I didn't know the two parties knew each other. Of course, I do now.

"What are they doing here," Quil, one of Jacob's friends, seethed. All three pups stood within the blink of an eye and glared the family down. By that time I was fed up with the trio and wanted nothing more than to pummel them. "Pipe down," I groaned as I fell into one of the booths. "Hey! When I accepted this invitation I wasn't told that a bunch of bloodsuckers-" "Shh! Bad doggy!" "Ow! Hey!" Jacob shouted after I pelted his face with a high heeled shoe. "You're done. You go. Makes sense. Now, shoo!" I peeled off my other shoe and aimed. Jacob growled and was prepared to strike, but his two friends, who saw how cranky I was, grabbed him and pulled him out, "Later!" I sighed once they were gone and turned to the Cullens, "I'm terribly sorry. I forgot that this town is weird and crawling with the supernatural. It won't happen again." Carlisle smiled and stepped forward. "Perhaps," he chuckled as he pulled the shoe out of my hand, "You would be better off without the weapons." I rolled my eyes, "Kill-joy." "I knew I liked you, Firecracker!" Emmett beamed as he patted my back. Rosalie swept behind him with a glare, but I noticed that she was hiding an amused smirk. Emmett smiled brightly and wrapped an arm around her waist. Edward, Bella, and Alice moved from behind Esme and greeted me with a smile. "This place is beautiful!" Alice praised as she excitedly looked at every decoration. "You have great aim," Edward bowed smugly. Bella glared at him, and then turned to me with an apologetic glance, "I'm sorry about Jacob, he's just…" "Irritatingly annoying," I suggested with an arched eyebrow. "And here I thought that we would never agree," Edward chimed in happily. Apparently, someone had some doggy issues. "Do you mind?" Alice called my attention as she gestured towards the swinging doors of the kitchen. "No, go right ahead. Everyone's left for the night, but if you see my brothers, freak them out with a vision or something." She rolled her eyes and danced into the kitchen.

"Where's Jasper?" I looked behind and around every Cullen for the beautiful boy, but turned up empty. Carlisle frowned, "He's around here somewhere. He was here when we got here, but he disappeared before we came in." "Oh," I muttered disappointedly. On a brighter note, I informed them, "Anyway, I have some wine for you guys. A friend from Italy gave it to us as a present. We haven't had the need for animal blood infused wine until now, so you can help yourself to it. From what I've heard, it tastes pretty good." Edward squirmed nervously, so I added, "Don't worry; it won't make you want to kill the humans." I turned to get the bottles from the kitchen, but I was stopped when I heard something like a shelf fall down. "Jare? Jensen?" I called worriedly. Knowing the two were just as klutzy as I am, I rushed into the kitchen.

I was not expecting what I saw. Alice was standing in front of my brother, Jared, and man, did he look out of it! I walked up beside the mischievous pixie and stared at the babbling oaf that I refused to refer to as my relative. "Did you break him?" I whispered in awe. "Nope!" Alice chirped, "Give it a minute." The biggest smile that I have ever seen spread across Alice's face. "Erm, uh, my n-name," Jared pulled at his buttoned collar, "N-name i-is.." "Did you break him?" Jensen whispered as he appeared right beside me with the same expression. We exchanged a look before staring oddly at our brother, who continued to babble on like an idiot. At the same time, a big smug grin spread across our faces. "Ahem," Jensen cleared his throat. We strolled up to either side of our dear brother. Jensen slung his arm across Jared's shoulder and I slid my own arm around his waist. "Jared." We recited his name at the same time.

"My name's Jared!" Jared's face, after he realized where we were and what was going on, turned the brightest shade of red- even redder than my own! Alice skipped up to him and frowned, "You're late. We were supposed to meet yesterday, but you decided to leave early, so I missed you." Garbled words spouted from Jared's lips as he struggled for words, but Alice spoke over the inconvenience with excitement and a dazzling smile, "I'm Alice!" "Y-you're pretty!"

Oh. No.

Jensen and I held our straight faces until we glanced at each other. Once our eyes met, there was no stopping it. We burst out laughing.

That seemed to help Jared snap out of the dopiness. "Shut up!" He snapped behind him (we were leaning on him from behind). He then turned to Alice with a shy, yet handsome smile, "Hi, er, Alice. I'm Jared." "She knows, bro," Jensen wiped the water from the corner of his eyes as he continued to laugh. He smacked his back and added, "You just told her that." "I did?" Jared's eyes widened until they rivaled the size of a beach ball. "Sorry, bro," I mimicked Jensen as I also patted him on the back. "I'm so sorry, Miss!" Jared apologized as he moved in quickly to stand in front of her. She simply smiled happily and grabbed his hand, "Come meet my family! After that, you can tell me all about yourself." "Okay," he swooned as the pixie pulled him out of the kitchen by the hand. Not even three minutes with Alice, I smirked, and he was like putty in her hands. She could have asked him to jump off the empire state building and he would have done it in a heartbeat.

"Well," Jensen smiled as he drew me in with a one armed hug, "They grow up so fast. It was just yesterday that he pulled all of the wires out of the ceiling. And now look at him! He's completely smitten!" I smiled, too, and replied with the same fondness, "Our little guy's all grown up and head-over-heels for Alice. We'll never let him live this day down, right?" "You know it!" He laughed happily. I grabbed the basket of wine from the fridge and shoved it into his arms. The smile faded from his lips, but mine did not. "Just for the record, I know it was you who messed up the wiring. And before you spout a ton of BS, I have proof." I pushed him towards the swinging door. "Proof?" He scoffed arrogantly, "What proof?" "Next time," I rolled my eyes, "Don't leave your shoe in the rafters where the electrician can find it." I held the door open and shoved him through. The little weasel, you see, tried to get some wires down by knocking them down with his shoe. You know the result of that bright idea.

"Now," I sighed, "To find Jasper." Where could he be? Hmm, if I were Jasper, where would I be? I looked around for a hint and found no such thing. Oh well. I'll start by looking for him outside.

Found him, I did. After a few minutes of searching, I found him sitting on a bench near the mini waterfall in the garden in the pitch darkness of the night. I walked up to the bench and sat down. By a mere glance, I could tell that Jasper was lost in thought; he probably didn't even notice that I was there. "Hey, Stranger," I smiled to him. He didn't respond. My eyebrows arched in confusion, "Okay? Bad joke." Still, he remained stationary. His golden eyes stared out before him lifelessly. "Hey, are you okay?" I waved my hand in front of his face. No luck. Okay, now this is getting ridiculous. "Jasper?" I called to him. "Jazz?" I called again, and then kissed his cheek. Alright, this must be the wrong approach. Hmm… maybe if I…

"Schuyler?" Score! Note to self, if Jasper ever dazes off and does not respond to any of the previously mentioned methods, this one will. "Hey, there," I waved from my seat. "Why did you knock me off the bench?" "Sticks and stones, love," I sang as I leaned forward to set my elbows on my knees and rest my head in the palms of my hands. He rolled his eyes and appeared sitting next to me in a flash. "So, there's this nice restaurant over there. How about you come inside?" I asked the blonde man. He answered vaguely and asked his own question, "Crowded. What did Edward say to you? You just ran off without a word." I shifted uncomfortably as the events played fresh in my mind, "I didn't run off without a word. I do believe that I told him that I had to go." Jasper rolled his eyes and rephrased, "Fine, without a word to me?" "Sorry," I muttered as I watched the water fall down the clay cliff beside me.

My attention was thwarted by a tiny white blossom floating in the water. The single flower made me think of the vines that covered the entire building and most of the garden. Subconsciously, I reached out to the vines adorning the restaurant beside me. My fingertips traced the white bud, one identical to the one floating in the water, sprouting from the vine with a certain gentleness that could only be obtained through many decades of raising the plants. My thumb ran over the bud until it began to bloom into a small white flower.

"Morning," I smiled fondly at the flower. Just as the words left my lips, the full moon lit the little blossom and set it aglow. Jasper was about to say something, but I hushed him, "Watch." He complied.

It was a secret magic that could only belong to nature. Like the first tiny bud, the hundreds of other little buds covering the gray brick walls, wrapping around the white picket fence, and various statues and arches began to open. Within minutes, every single bud had blossomed into a small moonlit flower. Within minutes, the entire garden was set aglow with light. I stood up and strolled over to the waterfall and fished out the newly bloomed little blossom and held it in my hands. I moved again until I was in front of Jasper. "Moonflowers," I said as I slipped the piece of the phenomena in my hands to his. Jasper stared at the little thing in his hands with an emotion that I could not read. Finally, he stood. His eyes, I noticed as I caught them, were smoldering. His hand rose to tuck a loose curl behind my ear and gracefully tuck the flower alongside it. The back of his fingers traced up and down my cheek. "Schuyler," he whispered softly. I stood onto my tip toes to lay down a sweet kiss upon his lips. "Sky," he whispered again, but instead used my nickname. I fell back on my heels to end the small kiss, but Jasper disagreed. He leaned down faster than I could stand at my normal height to change the small, chaste kiss to one with great passion. His arms wrapped around my waist and he hoisted me off my feet so I could wrap my arms around his neck and be on the same level as him.

"SCHUYLER!" Jasper paused for a moment then sighed in aggravation as he set me back on my feet. He looked up gloomily to find out who it was that interrupted the moment. I, on the other hand, was less ignorant; I knew the voice by heart. "WHAT THE HELL!" Another voice chimed in. "Eh," I whined as I bashed my head into Jasper's marble chest. _Please, kill me now_. One is bad. Two is apocalyptic. "Jensen and Jared," Jasper greeted monotonously. My two brothers bolted from the backdoor to where we were standing. Again, Jensen, ever the hot head, flipped, "What the hell!" "Er," I smiled sheepishly as I unwrapped my arms from Jasper and gestured for him to do the same, "Jared, Jensen, this is Jasper Hale." "We've met," Jared glared daggers as he crossed his arms. "And," Jensen butted in, "We've warned." Both glared venomously at Jasper's arms around my waist. "You might want to let go," I whispered as my brothers became even more angered. In response, Jasper tightened his grip, "I'm Schuyler's boyfriend." Oh, dear. Say it ain't so!

I wanted to hit myself over the head with a shovel and then use the shovel to bury myself alive. You see, I haven't exactly gotten around to telling my brothers that I have a man-friend. And to tell you the truth, I wasn't really planning on it… or at least until I absolutely had to. Now, don't get me wrong! I'm head-over-heels for Jasper! But… my brothers don't exactly react well to words such as boy, man, boyfriend, man-friend, and 'love'. If I were to ever use these words in a romantic matter, my brothers would flip, pack the bags, and port us off to the other side of the world. I'm not exaggerating, as crazy as it sounds. It's happened.

Then again, I can't really blame them for their reactions, even if they are a tad overdramatic. You have to understand that all of the events that led me to where I am now were triggered by a single man. That fact may be in the past, but they don't want to mess up again and leave me to end up in a similar situation. In a way, their actions might actually be justified. But all of this is only based on if I were to say the words.

But all of this rambling brings me to my point- I wasn't the one who said the 'b'-word. Jasper, a _guy_, said it. In other words, Jasper just opened Pandora's Box and now impending doom will be brought upon us all. Seriously.

"Hey, hey!" I shouted and quickly moved to shield Jasper from any means of harm. Jensen and Jared crouched low and snarled viciously. Jared, who is supposed to be the calm one, shouted, "BACK THE HELL OFF!" Jensen took over Jared's usual role and snarled out as calm as one could be, "You've got ten seconds to explain. If we don't like your answer by number nine, we'll kill you." Oh, jeez. This is _so_ not good. And to make matters worse, Jasper joined into the snarl fest and started to growl. He pushed me behind him and bared his teeth, prepared to fight. Guys- there's no reasoning with them.

"Would you stop it!" I yelled as I ran right into the middle before either side could lash out at the other. With arms waving, I continued to yell out, "You're all acting like children- demonic children, but children none-the-less!" "Get out of the way, Schuyler. This doesn't concern you anymore," Jared growled as he trained his furious eyes on Jasper. Wha- _oooo_, he did not just say what I think he just said. "THE HELL IT DOES!" I lashed out at him. I sped forth with lightning speed and appeared right in front of him. I reached out and pulled him from his crouch to face me. He looked surprised by my straightforwardness. "Now listen to me!" I continued with a loud voice, "I am well over 200 years old! I know you're worried, but I'm not a child anymore! I love you like no other, Jare, but…" I sighed and let go of him so he could stand on his own two feet. He frowned as he flattened the creases in his collar and looked away from my eyes. "I love you, Jare… and I know why you and Jensen are fighting so hard against… _this_. But he's not Gabriel, Jare. Jasper won't hurt me like _he_ did. _**Never**_**.**" "You don't know that," Jared seethed as he glared at the fountain. "You mean _you_ don't. But Jare, I trust him." He looked at me when he heard the words leave my mouth. Even Jensen, who had been silent for awhile, looked to me.

Trust. That was something that had left me when I became immortal. Or really, I lost it when my family died one by one and my mother fell ill with insanity. As far as we all knew, we were all short on trust; so short, that we could only trust each other. Things have been that way ever since the day I turned 14. So, saying that I trusted this man, this Jasper, it meant something. I repeated my words again, "I trust Jasper. And if you trust me, then you will trust him, too." Jared's mouth gaped open and shut as he searched for words. "Why?" I turned to my stern, serious faced brother, Jensen. He stepped closer and repeated, "Why do you trust him?"

My eyebrows furrowed as I thought over the question. Why did I? Jensen asked a very good question. Why _did_ I trust Jasper? I can't explain the reason in words other than that I could trust him with my life. … Words… "I can't explain…." I mumbled as my hand twitched at my side. Jared jumped in, "Then why should we!" "You didn't let me finish," I sighed. I felt Jasper sweep over the ground until he was directly behind me. "I can't explain why… in words," my eyebrows furrowed again in frustration. My twitching fingers clenched to stop my shaking. I looked both of my brothers directly in the eyes to share my confusion and to share my faith. My hand rose slowly to my chest where I clenched at the cloth over my heart. "It's a feeling right here," I attempted to explain; "My heart races and thrives around him. He made me find it, my heart. I can feel it even now, and it tells me that I can trust him." My brothers were stunned with silence. I smiled half heartedly as I added, "Mom always used to tell us to listen to our hearts and let it guide us, for the heart is strong and can tell no lies. My heart right now is telling me that I can trust him, and that's good enough for me." My brothers frowned as the memory of our mother was let loose in the air and scowled even deeper when Jasper reached for my free hand to hold in his own. And as if to further back up my theories, my heart began to race at his simplistic touch.

We stood in unbroken silence for the longest time. So long, that I began to wonder what the other Cullens were up to. Were they watching this from afar? Had they gone? "Fine." The sudden break made me jump. "Huh?" Jared rolled his eyes and shifted uncomfortably, "I said, 'fine'." "You mean…?" "We'll let you stay with him," he muttered under his breath. "Really?" I gaped. Jensen clapped Jared on the shoulder. With a heavy sigh, he, too, agreed, "Yeah." "Thank-you!" I cheered happily. Jasper let go of my hand so I could leap onto my brothers for a bear hug. The two grabbed hold of my tiny body and hugged back to make a big old group hug. "BUT," Jensen smirked. My smile fell. Why was there always a 'but'?

Our hug ended and I stepped back towards Jasper, who in turn held both of my hands in his. "Any decisions are run though us first. We have to give out permission," Jared piped in creating the first rule. Jensen livened up and happily added another, "Lorie, you're getting your very own cell phone. You are to call and check in every couple hours." "Oh!" Jared yelled out in excitement. He grimaced at a bad memory, "Any date or places or wherever you go- DO NOT give her anything with lots of caffeine, like coffee. Coffee is really bad." "And she must be home at… err, 9! Yeah, by nine o'clock!" "And sugar, yeah, mark that off the list, too. Sugar's _real_ bad." "Oo! And you're paying for all of the food, too. Yeah, we'll never pay another dime!" Okay, now they're just getting ridiculous. "Come on, let's go," I whispered over my shoulder to a slightly amused Jasper. He nodded, so I pulled him past my enthusiastic brothers and into the restaurant.

"Sorry about that," I apologized as a light red blush graced my cheeks. I turned around to face Jasper. He had a weird look on his face; it was somewhere between a grimace and a smile. I'm not sure how else to describe it other than weird. I arched an eyebrow in curiosity. Jasper caught my notion.

Jasper's Point of View

Wow.

These two are almost as weird as Schuyler. First, they want to kill me and now they want me to feed their sister. I wonder if they're actually serious about some of the rules they were coming up with? Hmm, I'll have to ask Sky about that later. Speaking of the girl… she was looking at me oddly. "What?" I asked. "Are you alright?" She asked in the low hum vampires usually spoke in. I answered at the same volume level, "Yes."

Why wouldn't I be?

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly. She gestured towards the backdoor where her brothers were still talking. "They mean well," she continued, "they're just looking out for me. I'm really sorry I didn't tell them this earlier, but they don't really like the topic, as you've seen-" I stopped her with a brief kiss. She blushed instantly, as she always does, and smiled goofily, "Talking too much, got it." I rolled my eyes. I wasn't really aiming for that. I was going more for the happy-we-didn't-get-killed kind of reaction.

Is it just me or does she look really good today? "I like your uniform," I randomly threw out there. She looked panicked for a moment and moved to check her outfit. "What are you doing?" I questioned in confusion. "Last time you said something along those lines," she glared half heartedly, "It was because I was wearing your clothes and they revealed more skin than they covered." Ah, my button-less shirt and boxers. "I meant that you look nice," I defended myself. She was wearing a uniform, but it looked very appealing on her.

"Hey, Jazz?" She whispered. She leaned on my chest and nuzzled comfortably into my jacket. "Hmm?" I whispered back as I held her close. "I'm happy…" She trailed off. Her arms slid around my waist and she sighed in content. I smiled at the girl, my girl, and replied, "Me, too." She had a point there. I _**was**_ happy. In fact, I can honestly say that I've never felt so happy- be it in life as well as death. I'd never felt so happy, not even with my gift that allows me to feel the emotions of everyone around me. **So**, I chuckled to myself at the irony, **It would seem that I've… fallen in love**.

"It would seem that your business has proved itself successful." I nodded happily to Edward as I stole a handful of fries from his tray (hey, it's not like he's going to eat it or anything). "This is one of the best businesses that we've ever managed," I beamed to my newest friends- Edward, Bella, and Alice- who returned my smile with their own unique way of happiness. Happiness… yes, as Jasper and I had agreed nearly a week ago, we were happy, all of us. In fact, everything was so perfect, so surreal. I've never been so happy before. The feeling is new and, at times, overwhelming, but welcomed all the same.

It would seem, I thought as I watched Alice and Edward snicker over a something Bella had said, that I finally felt safe and reconciled. All of the anguish, pain, terror, hate, and sorrow that had plagued me for so long… being with them, meeting them… made all of the heaviness on my heart lift and soar away. I felt like for once in my entire life, everything was okay, or even better, perfect. Not only had I found friends, but I had found a family… and I've found Jasper. Jasper… he's become my world. He has captured my heart, a heart that I've given wholly to him. The very proof lies in my heart when I near him; it flutters with joy at speeds that not even my feet can meet. And in my dreams and thoughts, he lives and reigns. I-I …. I think that… I might be in love.

"What are you smiling about?" Edward teased with a smug smirk across his features. "Is it a boy?" Alice winked dramatically. "A boy!" Bella exclaimed with a gasp, as she too joined in with the mocking, "Oh? Who could it be?" I glared at the trio, "Ha ha, very funny. Like you three have room to talk. Speaking of talking…" I paused to catch a breath and switched my grimace to a coy smile. I took a quick sip of my drink before I continued, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but just the other day, I happened to spot a certain someone making out with my brother in the storage room. Any ideas as to who that might have been, Alice?" Her smile fell into a frown and Bella and Edward chimed with laughter. "Touché," Alice muttered. I stuck my tongue out all in good humor, and she mirrored the move.

_Happiness._

It cloaked her fully and embraced her with hope that she had been denied for so long. The young heroine, Schuyler, accepted the feeling with open arms and prayed for its permanent stay. But as her life always was, anything but easy, the happiness would not be easily given or for free. In fact, a storm was brewing and with it, an end to her new life and the beginning of disaster.


	17. Chapter 16 Gifts

**Chapter 16**

St. Gabriel's Medal

"Have you seen my shoes?"

"You've hid them, haven't you?" Jasper's lazy smile stretched as he lounged on the bed. I sighed in aggravation and fell to my knees. I pulled the edges of the black comforter up so I could slide under the bed with light to spare. Imagine my surprise when they weren't there. "Jazz," I whined as I backed out from under the bed to face him, "I need my shoes." "I'm sure they're somewhere," he shrugged as he leaned back into the pillows. He closed his eyes and relaxed. "Humph," I huffed. Taking a break from my search, I pounced onto the bed and laid right beside my boyfriend. In response, he slid his arm around my waist and scooped me up to rest over top of him. "Stay," he mumbled as he nuzzled into my neck. "Hmm," I hugged his frame and closed my eyes in content, "I've got to go. I'm going to meet up with Billy in half an hour to reminisce. He also wanted to give me something."

He growled softly and pulled me closer. He kissed his way up from my neck to my jaw to my lips. "Why?" "Billy was my best friend when I lived here thirty-five years ago. He's still my friend. Plus, he has a gift," I answered simply. Jasper growled again and turned onto his side; he tugged me along with him and pinned me down by hovering over me. His dark black eyes shimmered in the bright, rare rays of morning. His hair was set aglow and his skin glittered like thousands of diamonds. I lost all train of thought at the image of my very own angel. A smirk of amusement graced his angel face, "Are you dazzled?" "Very," I muttered mindlessly. His smirk widened even more. I blinked repeatedly and shook my head in attempt to shake out of the delirium, "But I'm still going." He sighed and collapsed on top of me. Instantly, he hugged me close to him as if I were merely a teddy bear and nuzzled into my hair.

"You're eyes are black," I reminded the vampire, "You need to hunt." Jasper groaned and shifted to press his cheek to my own, "I know." "Tonight is as good a day as any," I hinted as I traced shapes with my fingers over his clothed shoulder. He sighed and glared lightly, "You're trying to get rid of me." "Yep," I winked, "That's the master plan." He chuckled lightly before kissing me softly. Oh course, I kissed back and then that turned into a lot of kissing that lasted for quite a long time. "I've got to go," I groaned as I kissed his icy lips once more. He sighed heavily and rolled off of me so I could get up. He glared spitefully at the ceiling as I stood up and headed for the door. I reached for the knob and turned it all the way before I remembered, "Jazz?" "Hm?" "Where are my shoes?" Wordlessly, he reached behind his pillow and pulled out my black lace flats. He tossed them skillfully to me. Ha, I _knew_ he had them. "Go, hunt," I waved a hand aimlessly as if shooing him away. He lazily waved back, still grumpy about my leaving. "See you tomorrow, Jasper," I winked and blew a kiss. He rolled his eyes at my antics, but I could have sworn that I saw a ghost of a smile on his face. Eh, anyway, off to Billy's I go!

"Dad! THE BLOODSUCKERS HERE!"

"Wow, great people skills you got there, junior," I scowled at the sleepy boy. He glared blankly, and then turned around to collapse onto the coach. I followed suit and fell onto the same piece of furniture beside him. "I'll be there in a jiffy, Skye!" He called from another room. I nodded to myself and picked at my red and black attire. "So, how's life, pup?" I attempted to make small talk. The giant boy stretched his legs out in front of him and shrugged, "Eh, same old, same old; Killing vamps that are trying to kill people. Eating, sleeping, patrolling; how bout you, hag?" I glared at him for the name, "Feeding people, conspiring for world domination, beating up werewolves in dark alleys; you know, same old, same old." "Forks has dark alleys?" Jacob commented half joking, half serious. Well, he got me there. Stupid small towns. They're nice, but are impossible when it comes to dark alley jokes. But then again, how many times do those kinds of jokes come up in a conversation?

"Found it," Billy sung as he wheeled spiritedly into the room. In my dear friend's lap was a simple, hand carved wooden box. Billy rolled over to the couch and handed it to me, "It's yours. I fixed it when it broke all those years ago and I've had it ever since." I held the box gingerly in my hands and just as gently opened the small contraption. What was inside left me speechless and brought back old memories.

"_Happy Birthday!" Billy, Harry, and Quil shouted as they threw confetti into the air as soon as I stepped foot into Billy's house. "Oh, t-thanks!" I welcomed the trio in complete surprise. After all, it's not everyday that werewolf decedents throw a partial vampire a birthday party, especially if it's three days after the actual date. "Here, Skye, this is for you from us! We all pitched in to make it, and we're really sorry it's late; Billy wouldn't let us give it to you until it was perfect."_

_Naturally, I could care less about the lateness and drew the three into a bear hug. I was so happy that they did something so nice for me; the light feeling made my heart soar. "Open it!" Quil cheered as he shoved the poorly wrapped box-shaped present into my hands. With restrained excitement, I ripped the paper off to reveal a hand carved wooden box. "It's beautiful!" I thanked them as I traced the moonflower patterns and vines that adorned the entire piece of art. "There's more," Quil laughed. "Open it!" Harry cheered. Billy looked away in embarrassment and waited for me to find all of my gifts. _

_I blinked in surprise, but followed their advice. I unlatched the lock and pulled the top open. Inside was the most beautiful, thoughtful gift that I had ever received. It was a mix of blue and green thread and black and white beads. Attached at the end of the hair wrap was a tiny wooden wolf. I took the tiny wolf in my hand and flipped it from the face side to the other. On the back side, the letters 'S-K-Y-E' were etched. Underneath the small letters was a small picture of a heart with the letter 'F' sketched inside. "Quil and I made the wrap part," Harry explained, "Billy went all hermit on us and locked himself in the garage for hours until he finished carving the box and the wolf charm." _

_Billy took a few steps from the corner and stopped in front of me, "Happy birthday, Skye."_

"You fixed it," I smiled fondly at the once broken present. I took the tiny wolf in my hand and flipped it from the face side to the other. On the back side, the letters 'S-K-Y-E' were etched. Underneath the small letters was a small heart with the letter 'F' sketched inside. The wrap was just as I had remembered it. "Thank-you so much, Billy!" I cried aloud as I jumped to hug the old fool. You see, before I had left Forks for Vietnam, I had been forced to leave the trinket behind. Let's just say that I was literally moving mountains to keep it, but in the struggle it was broken and left behind. There are no words to describe the happiness that I'm feeling for being reunited with the hair piece. The attachment may seem fickle, but at the time and even now, it stands for something, a memory, that I wish to hold on to and cherish for all time. It's very special and important to me.

"Let's see if I remember how to put this thing in," I muttered before racing to the bathroom for a mirror. "You better go help her," Billy sighed as he stared in the direction of the bathroom hopelessly. Jacob stared blankly in befuddlement. "Before she hurts herself," Billy added. Jacob rolled his eyes and stood to his feet. In a few strides, he arrived at the bathroom to help the klutzy girl with her new present.

"What is that?" Edward questioned as his eyes refused to advert from the wooden wolf. "A hair wrap," I shrugged as I ate a slice of pepperoni pizza, "It was given to me yesterday." "Who gave it to you?" He continued with the interrogation. Geez, with the way he was staring, you'd think I robbed a bank! "A friend," I continued with the vague answers. "What kind of friend?" "The friendly kind." "Has anyone ever commented on your being a smartass?" I smirked, proud to have made the honorable man swear, "Yes, sir! And I'm quite proud. I think that I might even hold a world record." He gave up and seethed for a while after that.

"Did one of the wolves give it to you?" Bella asked her own series of questions. Her eyes were also trained on the tiny wooden wolf. Her eyes dimmed and seemed to turn to sorrow. Was she on bad terms with the wolves? "Why, yes, Izzy. Oh, uh, kind of. Sort of." I pondered on the thought. Technically, it was given to me by a human, but that human was part of a long line of werewolves. How would you count that? "Was it Billy? I heard that you used to be really good friends." Wow, right on, Izzy. "Yes," I nodded in surprise, "Very much so. And it was actually a present from a long time ago. It was broken, however, so Billy fixed it and gave it back to me."

"You enjoy tormenting me, don't you?" Edward piped in sourly. "Why, yes. Yes, I do." "Bella, eat," Edward smiled as he handed over his tray of food to his girlfriend. "Hey!" I argued as I watched my food (or at least it would have been; I can steal Edward's food without guilt, but I couldn't steal it from Bella) be given away. "That's just plain evil!" I hissed and pouted as I pushed my empty tray away. Edward simply smiled when I realized that the table of torment had turned.

"So, where's your boy?"

"He's out hunting," I answered off handedly as I sorted through paperwork after a long day of working. "Aw," Jensen smiled, "That's too bad." "Is Alice gone, too?" Jared immediately appeared at the island in the kitchen that I was currently sitting on. "No, Jare," I smirked and patted his shoulder, "She's home. She went last week. Jasper's out hunting with Rosalie, Esme, and Emmett. They'll be back tomorrow." "Aw," Jensen sincerely sounded bummed, "'Mets gone? Bummer. That guy's awesome. He sure knows how to liven a party up." Ah, yes. I forgot to mention the meeting of Emmett with my brothers. To put things simply, they should all be triplets. They all act the same, think the same, and completely love each other! The three hit it off immediately, but I left the room when they started naming off the hottest girls in history. Bah, three of them. Oh, however shall I live?

"I'm going to go home," I announced, "I haven't slept in a week, so now's probably a good time." "Sure," Jensen nodded as he reached for the files and papers in my grasp. "But," Jared mirrored Jensen's coy smile, "You get to close up tomorrow." Eh, I hate closing up. But I do need the sleep. "Fine," I growled, but agreed. "Night!" "Night!"

"I hate chemistry. No matter how many times I take, I still don't like it," I ranted as I opened the door to my room. "It's always the same and I despise adding-" I froze instantly at the smell in the air. I turned every which way in search of the source, but found it long gone.

My first thought was to find my sacred box that I had hidden in the floorboards. I nearly fell over with relief when I found it exactly where I had left it. "Someone was in here," I frowned as I looked all around. Nothing was out of place, except for the window that was open. Oh! Oops, scratch that. "He went through my drawers!" I scoffed at the slightly ajar drawer. I pulled it open to find my clothes moved around and my favorite Nightmare Before Christmas shirt gone. Okay, that's a little weird. I looked around for anything else and found that a picture from the collage on my wall was missing. It took some major brain-wracking, but I eventually remembered it to be a picture of me that Jared took when we lived in France in the 1990s. _Okay, that's alarmingly weird_, I thought as I took a seat on my bed. I mean, who would steal a picture and a t-shirt? That's kind of stalker-ish behavior. But this smell… I don't know this scent… and it's definitely not human. Okay, a vampire stalker- that's just plain freaky. I leaned back in astonishment as I mauled over the odd occurrences.

_What? _Something cold and thin wrapped in my knuckles as I leaned back. Curiously, I picked up the gold object- a necklace, and expected it. What I found stopped my heart and stole my breath. My hands trembled as I recognized the pendent not only in a vision, but in my past, a past that was quickly unraveling and floating to the treacherous surface. I could barely hold the medal in my hands for they were shaking so tremendously, but I did. One of the visions played again before my eyes,

_**I looked over the girl one more time and frowned when I noticed two things that coincided with a previous vision. The girl had a crescent shaped bite mark a little above her collar bone and draped around her neck right next to it was a shiny metal. I frowned in perplexity and struggled to read the metal. Under the image of an angel was the name "ST. GABRIEL."**_

My thumb rubbed the name harshly in hopes of wiping the name away as if it were dirt. My method failed. It all came rushing to me then. The faceless girl, the medal, the hospital. I was the faceless girl, I'm the one in possession of the cursed medal, and I am going to be the one to die in the hospital.

My hands clenched into fists as the memories and fears came washing over me like a crashing wave. I stood and waded to the open window as I choked back tears. With a last squeeze, I clenched the medal in my hand then threw it as far as I could out of the window. In a daze, I closed the window and locked it, then grabbed a handful of clothes and stuffed it in my schoolbag. From there, I ran out of the house as fast as my feet would take me and jumped into my truck. From there I drove to the only place that I could calm down and feel safe. I drove at unmentionable speeds straight for the Cullen's.


	18. Chapter 17 Weekend

**Chapter 17**

Victoria

Jasper's Point of View

It's 1:30. Only a little over half an hour until Schuyler gets out of school. I can find something to do until then. Her face flashed before my eyes and I sighed in frustration. This girl has me going crazy.

I flashed up the stairs and went into my room just as fast. I groaned involuntarily when her scent hit me with the force of a brick wall. Really, this smitten business is painful. With nothing better to do, I fell back onto the mountain of messy blankets to wait and pass the time. I froze when I heard a grunt and felt the bed wiggle under me. I leapt off the bed quickly and stared the blankets down with confusion. The blankets continued to squirm and make noises. The blankets shifted until brown tendrils fell from an opening in the cave of fabrics. I rushed to the bedside and untangled the covers from her tiny body. "Schuyler?" She was balled up in the center of the bed. Her skin was bright red from the combination of scorching heat from her body and all of the blankets. She didn't move. "Schuyler? Sky?" I gripped her shoulders and tried to uncurl her.

Schuyler unwrapped instantly at my touch and launched herself at me with blinding speeds. "Jasper!" She cried as she wrapped her searing arms around my neck and pressed her tiny frame to my icy body. Steam began to rise from our entangled skin. Sky was so overheated that she was panting and gasping for air. "Schuyler, what's wrong?" I held her tighter and kicked all of the aiding blankets to the floor. "Jasper…" She whispered faintly. I held her at arms length and searched her dazed eyes for an answer. I instead found searing tears welling in her eyes. My own grew wild with panic and anger. Who had done this to my Schuyler?

"Schuyler, what happened?" I begged for her response. The glaze from her eyes began to fade at the tone of my voice. "Nothing," she whispered as she rested her head on my chest. Her eyelids fell to cover her amazing orbs. She whispered incoherent words, "Gone… dead… nothing… can't be real. Don't worry, Jazz. It can't be real." She clutched at my shirt and shifted until she was cradled by my body. She fell asleep instantly.

I held her tightly and kissed her upon her brow in assurance, but found no such thing for myself. The panic and worry filled me completely and my mind raced with her words and her actions. Schuyler was afraid, no terrified, and I didn't know why. It irked me to no end! As I've come to learn, very few things terrify the free spirit in my arms.

She was terrified of water, not baths or showers, but large bodies such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. Her reason is that the first death she was forced to live was by drowning. Besides water, she feared losing her loved ones or being useless in aiding those in need. Lastly, her biggest, most terrifying fear is a single man. Gabriel, the man she was wedded to, the man who tortured her for several years of her existence, the man whose very memory haunted her for centuries, and the man who taught her fear and what true evil really is. Could that be who she was referring to? The departed Gabriel?

A buzz from my pocket pulled me from my thoughts. I fished for the cell phone and flipped it open. I held the device to my ear, "Jazz! Have you seen Sky? Her brothers said that her stuff was at home, but she wasn't. They also told us that there was a scent in her room that they didn't recognize. We've been looking for her, but I can't see her and Edward can't hear her! Jasper, Sky's missing!" I took a deep breath of air, although my lungs had no use for it, "She's here." "Where?" "With me in my room. I found her in here a while ago. She's been sleeping ever since." "Thank goodness. Is she alright?" I glanced at her angelic, sleeping face and answered, "More or less." "Alright," she sighed with relief, "I'll tell Jared and Jensen that she's okay." "What was that about a foreign scent in her room?" I asked with a tight voice. Had someone hurt her? Who had been in her room? "The scent is too faint and there's no trail. We don't know anything other than the fact that someone other than the Anderson's were in the room. I'll tell you as soon as I find out more." I nodded silently and hung up.

Schuyler's Point of View

Burr! It's chilly. I like it. Oh, chilly, that must mean-

"Schuyler?"

-that must mean that I've been busted.

I cracked one eyelid open to find two penetrating gold orbs staring back. Oh, yeah. I am definitely busted. I nervously opened my eyes and straightened up while seated on his lap. I chuckled nervously and sheepishly smiled. His eyebrow arched in either disappointment or amusement- unfortunately, I was in no place to tell. "Mind telling me why you're here?" He asked with a straight, serious face. I frowned, "I fell asleep?" He rolled his eyes and then glared. "I missed you?" His glare softened, but he still wanted an answer. Or at least that's what I thought. "Someone was in your room," he stated while running his fingers through the curly mess atop my head. "Yes," I nodded. The words were strained when I repeated them, "Someone was in my room, but I don't know who." "Did they hurt you?" Well, yes. I am emotionally scarred from the little trinket they left in my honor, but I was okay physically. Speaking of the little 'gift', what was up with that? Is that some kind of joke? Some really demented, sick, twisted joke? I've seen little medals like that with saints on them before, but this was just sick. Who in their right mind would leave such a thing! Truthfully, I wasn't really bothered that someone had broken in to steal a t-shirt and picture, but leaving a medal with _**his**_ name on it? That is crossing the line.

I was pulled from my thoughts by Jasper pulling at my blouse. "Hey!" I shouted in surprise. I slapped his hand away to prevent him from reaching button number three. I held the shirt closed and glared (although the threat was kicked down a notch by the blushing). "You're hurt, aren't you?" He panicked as his eyes darkened in horror and terror. He continued to inspect my small body for any sign of trauma. "Hey! Quit that!" I snapped and swatted his hands away, "I'm fine!" The wildness that glossed his eyes did not fade, but his trembling hands paused when I held them in my own. I let them go and laid them on my lap so I could hold his face in my hands. I caught his eyes and held them captive as I told him slowly, "I'm alright. No one was there when I got home. I was not harmed." He sighed and nodded. I frowned when I saw that the panic in his eyes had not receded.

"I just got spooked," I insisted with a small reassuring smile. His scowl deepened, but his eyes showed that he was calming down. "So you came here," he added in understanding. "Yes," I replied wholeheartedly, "I feel safe here, with you." I kissed him then. He returned the favor.

"Is that the time!" Way to ruin the moment, Schuyler. Great job. I mentally slapped myself for the stupid interruption. Jasper ignored my blabbering and kissed down my neck. I must admit that I was very tempted to just shut up and say, 'the hell with it!' Unfortunately, that's not what my nerves would let me do. I quickly pried Jasper off of me and rolled off the bed. I landed on my feet and gaped at the clock, "I'm late for school!" I can't believe I slept in! It's already 7:25! I was definitely going to have to sprint (and not get caught). In my haste, I tried to straighten the creases in my uniform (hey, it's this or nothing) as I rushed to the bathroom. I groaned when I found my hair even messier than usual (I blame that one on Jasper). I quickly brushed through the mess of curls and pulled it back into a messy bun.

I rushed out of the bathroom and began roaming around Jasper's room in search of my heels. Have you ever noticed how I always lose my shoes? "Shoes!" I called out to the room, "Where are you?" I continued to panic until I found then pushed under the stand of Jasper's stereo system. "Aha!" I shouted victoriously. "I'll see you later, Jazz!" I turned to kiss him goodbye, but stopped in my tracks when I found him laughing.

"This isn't funny," I frowned as he fell onto his back. Forgetting my rush momentarily, I dropped my heels to the floor and sat next to him on the bed. He continued to chuckle and placed his arm over his eyes. My scowl deepened and I poked him, "Hey, tardiness isn't funny. I'm late for school!" Again, he burst into laughter. Was I missing something? In irritation, I moved his arm and glared him straight in the eye. He apologized, "Sorry, but you're quite spirited. You're also very entertaining." What's that supposed to mean? He cleared his throat when he realized that I didn't get it and reached for the alarm clock. "It's seven twenty six," he stated with a goofy smile on his face. "Yes," I confirmed as my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Where was he going with this? He rolled his eyes and hinted, "Look outside." I did as he said.

Why is it so dark outside? "Schuyler," he started as I stepped from the glass wall, "It's 7:25 at _night_. School ended hours ago." "Huh?" I muttered quite unintelligently. "You missed school." Rats. I've only been there for a month and a half and I've already missed as many days as the Cullen's do all year. "Great," I sighed as I fell back next to him. He smiled and kissed my cheek. "And Jared and Jensen?" I winced. "Alice took care of it. She's decided to take over your job for the next few days. Jared's completely head-over-heels for her so he said it wouldn't be a problem. They both know you're alright, by the way." "Thanks," I let the breath I'd been holding out. "Wait, why is Alice filling in for me for a _few days_?" Jasper's smile closely resembled the Cheshire cat, "It's the weekend." Huh? Okay, yes, that's true. Where's he going with this? "Alice wants to spend time with your brother, so they're both spending the weekend at the restaurant. Bella and Edward decided to go to Florida to visit Bella's mother. Your other brother plans on spending time with Emmett and Rosalie, and Esme and Carlisle will be in and out until Tuesday." Wow. "So, that leaves us," I realized. Jasper smiled and kissed my cheek again. He growled and replied happily, "Yep." I smiled and replied, "Where were we again?" He slipped an arm around my waist and silenced us both, except for the low growl rumbling in his chest. Ah, the weekend. I've never had a reason to like it until now. I love weekends. 3

_The trees whipped by me as if I were a speeding bullet. The ocean of green flew by unnoticed as I followed my target. My eyes were trained on the bright red hair as the slippery foe dashed teasingly a few yards away. A loud growl ripped from my chest, soon followed by several others behind me. She's been toying with us for so long! She straddles the border to create turmoil, and then when we catch wind of her, she darts into the ocean! But not this time! This time, I'll catch her. _

_The salty brine of the ocean hit my nostrils like a brick wall, but I continued after my prey. I felt the earth beneath me and snapped my jaws, lusting to rip the monster to pieces with my teeth. No, she won't get away this time!_

_She stopped on the shores. She turned to give us a coy, insane grin. Then, she darted into the waves and waded off into the distance until the red of her hair was lost. _

_She escaped, again. _

_Victoria escaped again and she won't stop until either we catch her and kill her… or until she gets to her destination first._

_Victoria won't stop until she gets her revenge… _

_**by killing Isabella Swan.**_

"NO!" I screeched as I leapt from my slumber. "Schuyler!" Jasper sat up quickly and pulled me onto his lap. He cradled my face in his hands as I used my own to support my racing heart. I gulped down air greedily before asking the beautiful blonde, "Who is Victoria?" He froze.


	19. Chapter 18 Escaped

**Chapter 18**

Blood Lust

I repeated my question again, "Who is Victoria?" Obviously, he knew. He just wasn't going to tell me. "Red hair, evil, is colder than a block of dried ice? Am I getting any closer?" He didn't respond. I groaned and got out of the bed. If Jasper doesn't want to tell me, then he doesn't have to. But that doesn't mean I won't find someone else to tell me. Bella, I sensed from the very vivid dream, is in danger. There's some crazy loon chasing after her! I'll be damned if I let that hell bent woman kill my friend! If she thinks she can, she's got another thing coming to her! "Wait!" Jasper called as I pulled on my shoes and headed for the door. I ignored him until he appeared in front of me and blocked the exit.

"Where did you hear that name?" He forced out. He gripped my shoulders to keep me from running. "So, she's real?" That means that my dream really is true. If Victoria really exists, then does that mean that she's also really trying to kill Bella? Jasper nodded and repeated, "How do you know about her?" "I saw her in my dream. Is it true that she's out to kill Bella?" He nodded again then his eyes grew wide in realization, "In your dream?" I sighed and nodded. Jasper frowned and pushed me back until I sat on the bed. "A vision?" He wondered. I scowled, "No. It's different. When I see visions, it's like sitting back and watching an old black and white film. This dream was, I don't know, live? It was like I was seeing through someone else's eyes. He, judging by the voice, and his friends were chasing after Victoria. The guy, he was really irritated. He kept mentioning something about a boundary line. They chased her for a while, but lost her when she went into the ocean." "Do you know when this happened?" He questioned intently. My eyebrows furrowed, "I don't know. It was night. There wasn't exactly anything other than that-" I spoke too soon.

_The scene was the same as it was in my dream. The green of the forest was lush with life and the entire woodland was silent… except for the loud thuds, heartbeats, reverberating throughout the endless maze of timbers. It was then that I saw them, the beautiful, alluring wolves shining in the moonlight. There were six, all of which were decorated with different hues, shades, and patterns. _

_And not even 5 yards ahead of them was the shimmering red goddess, the nightmare known as Victoria._

_But this scene was different. They were in a different neck of the woods and it was earlier than in the dream, yet it was still night. The wolves and their target darted and weaved through the thickets with mind blowing speed. Their pace did not lessen until more figures could be seen straddling the line between the woods and a meadow- all of which were crouched low and snarling viciously. The wolves, once spotting the new arrivals, joined in the persona and snapped their jaws and howled with anger. _

_Victoria flitted away darting directly across the line._

_Both the werewolves as well as the figures bolted after her, but the friendliness did not last. Within seconds, both races turned on the other._

_Victoria sped off into the distance and disappeared from my view._

_The last thing I saw before my vision turned black was the faces of the human-like figures. Snarling at the wolves were none other than the Cullens._

"Tomorrow," I mumbled. I turned to face my boyfriend, "She'll cross the border tomorrow. The wolves will chase her first, but then she'll cross the border to your side. You and your family, minus Edward, will be there. But she'll get away." Jasper grimaced at the news. He kissed my forehead and moved to pick his phone up off of the nightstand beside his bed. He pressed a few buttons on the phone then held it to his ear and told whoever it was on the other line what I had just seen. I listened closer until I recognized the voice to be Carlisle. To summarize the conversation, Carlisle is worried and thinks that Alice had a vision also. He said that she knows the location and time. After that, the two went straight into battle plans and tactics.

"It'll be okay," Jasper whispered before kissing my lips. He sighed heavily and kissed me again. He repeated more to himself than me, "It'll be okay. She won't escape." I silently sat as he held me close and nuzzled my neck. With all my being, I hoped he was right.

"She'll be here any minute," Alice chimed. "Get ready," Jasper ordered to the fairly large group. "She's not going to get away this time," Emmett cackled darkly from beside his silent wife. Carlisle stood in-between the two groups. He took a step closer to the invisible boundary line and nodded to us all, "Be careful. From what we know, Victoria has a plan." Everyone- Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie- complied. I stood a few feet from the group towards the right and was closest to the line. A scowl was etched permanently on my face; I had a sinking feeling in my stomach and it bothered me. Something isn't right, it told me, and this plan will not work. The dream will come true.

"She's only a mile away!" Alice exclaimed. Instantly, everyone crouched low and put on their game faces. I stayed standing, but braced myself for anything. Then, just like in my visions and dream, a blob of fire showed before my very eyes. Closer and closer, she ran. She was so close.

Victoria wasn't surprised to find the Cullens. In fact, her eyes sparkled with delight… like she'd expected so much. This made me nervous. She'd known we would be here. Not even 5 yards behind her were the wolves. And just like in my dream, the deafening sounds of battle began.

Snarls and growls ripped from their throats and the two races- vampire and werewolf- turned on each other. Loud booms echoed throughout the forest as the two collided. Emmett rushed headfirst into an abnormally large, brown wolf and knocked it to the ground. Jasper defended his brother by fending off another wolf. The others joined in the fray- be it on accident or on purpose. I watched on in horror as Victoria danced her way out of the brawl and continued down the boundary line. I glanced quickly to Jasper, who was fighting still, and then back to the disappearing fire. My mind was made up before I realized it and my feet carried me in the same direction. I escaped the fight and chased after Victoria.

She is a fast one, I'll admit, but I'm faster. And I had an advantage; I knew where she was going. So, naturally, I sped up and took a short cut. I must tell you, the look on her face when she spotted me blocking her exit- priceless.

The angry woman growled menacingly and snapped her jaws at me. I kept my face even, having gone into battle mode, and analyzed her every move. When she moved right, I moved left. When she feigned left, I moved left. I mirrored her every move and slowly grew closer. Again, her face when she realized that _she_ was the prey- priceless. Finally, she ceased all movement and yelled haughtily, "Who are you!" I thought about that for a minute. Exactly how stupid would it be for me to tell her that? "I'll tell you, if you answer one of my questions." She grew agitated and made a break for it. I retaliated and blocked her exit. She growled viciously, "What!" "Why are you here? Why are you trying so hard to kill a human?" Okay, maybe this isn't the best time for this, but hey, I'm certainly not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. "A mate for a mate," She sneered. A mate for a mate? Well, you know that's got Edward's name written all over it. Oh! I remember now! Alice told me about a rouge vampire that tried to kill Bella. "James," I muttered, recalling the name. The woman growled and lunged straight for me. Luckily, my reflexes were good and I managed to dodge while still managing to cover the exit.

Okay, there goes the sanity. Victoria is insane with revenge. The dream-guy was right about that. She wouldn't stop until either she's killed Bella or she's been killed herself. Well, you know what that means. "Sorry, but I can't have you running about trying to kill my friends," I frowned. With that said I threw my arm back and slung it straight for her face. Ah, nothing like a good old fashioned right hook.

Victoria was sent flying into, err, _through_ a tree. She successfully knocked down three giant trees before skidding to a stop. I rushed over to greet her before she could get up and run. I grabbed a handful of her shirt and pulled her up to her feet. I let go and smiled when I saw the damage. I completely broke every bone in the right side of her face. The punch distorted her features so badly that she was nearly unrecognizable.

My punch pissed her off. She screamed in a fit of rage and launched herself at me. I growled in response and launched right back. A loud boom resulted and we both ricocheted off one another and hit a tree. I have to tell you that smacking my head against a tree did not brighten my mood. In fact, it made me very cranky.

"Ow!" I winced as I held my aching head. I looked across to find Victoria up and at the ready. She crouched low and bared her teeth. I mirrored the image and did the same. The silence lasted only a second; once it ended, we rushed at each other with teeth bared and claws outstretched. We leapt and smashed together again with one loud sonic boom. I managed to get a swipe in and successfully hacked half of her shoulder away. Once I saw the marble flesh fall to the ground, it was over. The sadistic vampire in me took over and I lost all control over my body.

My body ached for blood, lots of it. It ached for destruction. I lifted my eyes from the piece of flesh until my eyes found my target- the red headed miscreant. I saw fear flash in her eyes and grinned. My body ached for that too, but most of all it ached to tear her limb from limb and then rip what was left to microscopic shreds.

My body crouched and shifted silently as I trained my eyes on my target. The foolish creature took my stance as an opening and rushed by me for an exit. Foolish indeed, my warped mind cackled. It's more fun when they ran. And ran, she did. After giving her a head start, I rushed after her at speeds that even a vampire would deem too fast. I caught up to her in no time. I cornered her and attacked. I ripped off another chunk of flesh and took off half of her arm with my teeth. She fell heavily to the ground. I waited until she got back up and made her face me. With an insane smirk, I clucked my tongue and waved a finger in disapproval as I circled her, "It was a good plan, really. You turn the vampires against the werewolves to stir up trouble so you can get away with whatever it is that you're doing. But you've miscalculated. You didn't know that there was someone else to worry about, someone far worse than all of the werewolves and vampires combined." I tilted my head sideways and continued to grin, "How unfortunate it is that you ran into me." Victoria took a step back as her bright red eyes, eyes that failed in comparison to the vibrant crimson of my own, glowed in disbelief, "What are you!" "A nightmare," I responded before pulling back my hand for one last attack. "Good night," I whispered as I threw my arm, aiming for her head. My hand successfully gripped what I was aiming for and I pulled my arm back bringing a trophy along with it.

I frowned at the object- a dismembered head. It wasn't Victoria's. It belonged to some random vampire. I looked up to find Victoria running in the direction of the ocean. My frown deepened and I threw the head away. I stepped over the corpse as I followed Victoria. Unfortunately, another vampire appeared from the timber. Unfortunately for it, it was in my way. I ripped the man to shreds and continued on my merry way.

Victoria was halfway in the water when I reached the shores. She looked back at me with eyes wide and hurried farther. I did not follow. My fear of the treacherous water held me at bay and soothed my restless soul. I slowly felt the blood lust fade away. Victoria looked back and laughed when she saw that I wasn't following. Before she completely disappeared, she yelled over the waves, "He was right! You're one of a kind! Yet, I fail to see what it is that drives him so!" The rest of Victoria's speech was swallowed by the angry ocean. She was gone. Victoria, despite everyone's efforts, had escaped again. With a heavy heart, I turned around and headed back towards the vampire remains.

Stupid vampires. The one that I had ripped to shreds was gone, but the one without a head had been revived. To put it simply, it was extremely hard to kill it again without bringing up the bloodlust. Now, I had the dismantled corpse lying in a pile of wood scraps from the trees that had fallen down in the fight. I had just found two rocks and was currently trying to set the pile ablaze. I wasn't having very much luck. "Schuyler?" I looked over to find Carlisle stepping out from the green. Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice appeared soon after. "What the hell happened, Firecracker?" Emmett questioned eyeing the mangled marble and all of the firewood. "I missed," I begrudgingly replied. If the foolish creature hadn't jumped in front of me, it'd be Victoria that I was burning. Where did they come from anyway?

"Sky?" Alice danced up beside me. She took the rocks from my hands and struck them to create a fire. I stood from the scene and allowed her to attend to it. I turned to Carlisle with a scowl, "She managed to escape. I followed her to the ocean, but couldn't follow her in." Carlisle nodded in understanding, "Thank-you for trying. I must say that both your and Alice's visions were correct. We must do something about the border. I have a feeling that Victoria will continue to exploit that until she can get to Bella." Somehow, I doubt she'll go straight for Bella. That snake has something up her sleeve. The marble man in the fire proved that theory. Victoria was not alone.

"Where's Jasper?" I asked them. The golden beauty was nowhere in sight. I didn't sense him anywhere, either. "He's at home waiting for you! One of the wolves clipped his shoulder and Carlisle made him stay home. We volunteered to come find you," Alice chimed as she twirled to my side. Rosalie snorted. I glared at her from the corner of my eye, but thanked all of them none-the-less. "You go, we'll clean up," Carlisle offered with a smile. "Yeah," Emmett chimed in, "He might get lonely. We all know that you can fix that for him, firecracker!" I ignored the big guy and ran off in the direction of the house.

"Jasper?" I called out quietly as I walked into his bedroom. I closed the door behind me and wandered in. "Jazz?" I felt two strong, icy arms slide around my waist. Jasper nuzzled his face into my chocolate brown curls and kissed my neck softly. "There you are," I sighed in relief. I loosened his arms so I could turn around to face him. I freaked out when I found his shoulder wrapped in bandages. "Jasper!" I exclaimed. My hands trailed gently over the injury. My face fell instantly. "I'll be fine," he whispered. His breath tickled my neck and his kisses made me swoon. His kisses trailed from my neck to my chin to my lips then back, leaving a trail of icy fire along the way. He kissed the entire side of my neck then switched to the other side. His kisses set my own body ablaze, and I felt it char when his lips brushed over the bite mark he had created decades prior. At the touch, I gasped for air. Jasper sensed the change and kissed the mark again, which resulted in my panting. He kissed the spot over and over until my mind went blank and his name spilled out over my lips.

Satisfied for the moment, he kissed his way back to my lips. He then rested his forehead against mine and whispered, "You scared me." I smiled shyly, "I know. I'm sorry." I kissed him gently for effect. He made the simple, chaste kiss into a fierce, passionate show of affection. He pulled back in aggravation and sighed heavily, "Sorry." "Don't be," I smiled and wound my arms around his waist for a comforting hug. "So what happened?" He questioned as he rested his head on top of mine and relaxed his arms on my hips. And there, with that question said, went the atmosphere. "I missed," I groaned miserably. Jasper's eyebrow arched in confusion.


	20. Chapter 19 Drama

**Chapter 19**

Rendezvous

This is ridiculous. Edward is just being a worry wart. Or a jerk, a jerky-jerk-face. Yeah, I like that better. Edward's a jerky-jerk-face. Ha! Take that Shakespeare.

First of all, Eddie dear decided not to tell Bella that Victoria was back and in Forks. Mistake number one. Then, after the two return from Florida, he still doesn't tell her. He also doesn't say anything about the confrontation between us and the wolves and how Victoria escaped. Mistake number two. After that, be it a fluke of fate, Jacob calls Bella because he thinks she's been changed into a vampire. Bella (and potentially Edward as well) doesn't call him back. Mistake numero tre. And now? Now we see the results of all of the mistakes combined. You'll never guess who showed up to the wrong school this morning.

"Junior?" The enormous boy turned his head. I locked my truck and jogged to the boy. I took one glance at his motorcycle and his bad boy persona before laughing. He glared, "What's so funny?" What? No insult? I'm hurt. I couldn't help but smirk, "I'm trying to imagine the reason for you being here. You didn't forget which school it is that you attend, did you?" The giant snorted, "Beat it. I'm here on business." "Sure, sure," I waved him off. Much to his dismay, I sat down on the bike's seat and made myself comfortable. "Get. Off. My. Bike." He growled out every word slowly. "Nah," I shrugged as I scanned the parking lot, "I want to be here when Edward spots you. After all, I'm sure you're here for Bella. I'm assuming you're going to try to win her over by telling her the truth about what's going on." The boy leaned back against the bike silently. "Hey," I smiled at his disbelief, "I'm old, not senile." Jacob huffed and crossed his arms.

We waited in comfortable silence for a few minutes while we scoped the parking lot. By now we had many gawkers. I could practically feel the rumors that were about to start. "Do you think I stand a chance, you know, with Bella?" He whispered. I frowned and looked away in pity, "Truthfully?" He nodded hesitantly. "I think…" I thought over the situation, "If it were a different time, a different place, a place without vampires or anything supernatural… it would've been possible. But now, here… you stand a snowballs chance in hell." I felt his spirits fall at my words. "I'm sorry," I apologized sincerely. I felt abnormally close to this boy, and it hurt me greatly to say such painful words. It really did. Jacob, despite his angry nature, surprised me, "I believe you." A raw, small smile graced me to match his own. He added, "But that doesn't mean I'll give up." "That a boy," I smiled and patted his back proudly. What can I say? I always root for the underdog. I can't help it. It was just something about not giving up, about finding hope…

"Scat, they're here," Jacob alerted me. "What, am I cramping your style?" I teased, but slid off the seat anyway. "Yes, now go," he shooed me with his hands. I rolled my eyes and walked off to stand ways away so I was in earshot but out of sight. Edward and Bella stalked up towards the biker tensely. The two parties argued until the bell rang. To put the fight into few words, Jacob did exactly as I thought he would. He derailed Edward's lies and Bella found out about the red headed psycho and the vampire-werewolf confrontation. Edward and Jacob swapped blows. Edward would accuse Jacob of putting her in greater danger; he claimed Bella didn't need the panic from finding out that Victoria was after her. Jacob argued by saying that Bella was tough and had been through far worse (it was a hit at the time when Edward had left Bella and Forks). After that, Jacob, or "Jake" as Bella called him, tried to play the friend card and attempted to convince Bella to come visit him. That failed and went down in a blazing heap of fire. He did succeed in making Bella feel guilty and _consider_ visiting him (I could see it in her eyes). The principal broke up the confrontation and threatened to call the cops. After a lot of smug, Jacob hopped onto his illegally parked motorcycle and sped off out of sight.

_Great_, I sighed half heartedly, _more drama_.

The week was pretty uneventful. I went to school (which had a frosty atmosphere- Bella has been attempting to avoid Edward for the entire week). Izzy's had a roller coaster of a week. First she finds out that Eddie dear lied, so she went to Jacob in La Push to find out about everything that Edward refused to tell her. The gap only grew; Izzy even went as far as to hide out at Angela's to work on graduation invitations. As for me, I attended school, worked at the restaurant, and spent the rest of my time with Jasper. Jasper… I have had one event in this rainy week. Well, not exactly an event. It's more of a revelation. I'm completely, head-over-heels for Jasper Whitlock Hale. He's everything. He's all I need. I love him so much it hurts.

And all of these events have led me to now, Thursday night. Edward's away on the hunt with his brothers (which includes my beloved southern soldier), so it's a girl's night out at the Cullens. Right now, as I speak, Rosalie- yes, that Rosalie- is telling us her story, the story of how Rosalie became a vampire. The jest of it is this:

_Rosalie Lillian Hale was born to a middle-class family in 1915 in Rochester, New York. Her father had a stable job in a bank while her mother was a housewife. Her parents were social climbers and Rosalie, who was extraordinarily beautiful, was the ticket they needed to reach their social aspiration. She was clearly the favorite of her parents, with two younger brothers._

While growing up, Rosalie dreamed of a lavish life—a life with a rich husband and children as beautiful as she was. Her parents influenced her want of material things, which made her vain and conceited. She wanted a big house that someone else would clean, with a large lawn that she would play with her children on.

In Rochester, where she grew up, there was only one family that had what her parents wanted—the Kings. Royce King owned the bank Rosalie's father worked in. His son, Royce II, saw Rosalie for the first time and began dating her. It was a quick courtship and the couple was soon engaged. The engagement went too quickly and wedding plans were made.

Rosalie couldn't help but feel something was missing from her relationship with him, despite the fact that Royce was everything she'd dreamt of. She soon began wanting what her good friend Vera had—a husband who wasn't necessarily rich, but one that loved her and was there for her, and a small baby they could raise together lovingly.

One night she went to Vera's, and while walking home she realized how late it was and she wished that she had called her father to escort her but realized it was silly since the way was so short. As she continued, she saw several drunken men. One of them turned out to be Royce. Showing her off to his friends, he ripped off her jacket and the pins from her hair. When she cried out in pain, the men seemed to enjoy it. They proceeded to beat and later rape her.

Royce and his friends left her dying on the streets. When Carlisle Cullen came to investigate the grisly scene,he found her half-dead and tried to save her humanly. Rosalie had never liked Dr. Cullen or his wife, Esme and her brother, Edward, as he then pretended to be. It had bothered her that the family was more beautiful than she was. Dr. Cullen, who turned out to be a vampire, saved Rosalie that night by turning her into a vampire after he realized she could not survive her wounds as a human. Soon after becoming a vampire, she killed Royce and his friends in vengeance but was careful not to spill a drop of blood, knowing she couldn't resist that. For this particular reason, Rosalie prides herself on never having fed on human blood.

Two years later, while hunting, she found a young man named Emmett being mauled by a bear and ran him back to Carlisle. She begged for him to save the dying Emmett, who reminded her of Vera's little boy Henry, by changing him into a vampire. The two fell in love and were soon married.

Sad, isn't it? Well, except the end. I like the end.

"I'm sorry," I sincerely apologized to the beautiful blonde. She nodded then turned to Bella with pleading, truthful eyes. "Do you see now? That is why I'm against you becoming one of us. Bella, you have a choice that none of us had. You have everything. Are you really willing to give it all away?" Bella sat quietly on the couch. I didn't have to ask her anything. I knew Bella to be too hardheaded. She wouldn't change her mind. Rosalie nodded, having given her two cents, and stood gracefully to leave.

"Wait!" I called out despite myself. I wasn't sure why, but I really wanted to befriend the ice queen. Rosalie, in truth, was a vain, egotistical woman frozen forever as possibly the most beautiful being on the planet. Yet, at the same time, she was bitter because everything that she'd ever wanted, everything that had been stolen away from her, was being dangled in front of her face every second of the day. After hearing her story, I began to understand the blond a little better. I even felt like I could relate to her on many levels. In some ways, I agreed with her. I, too, have had many things taken away from me, and I have to live every day watching as others all around me flaunt what I've lost. I'm doomed, like Rosalie, to always be denied the simple pleasures of human life.

Rosalie must have seen that in my eyes, for she stayed. She sat back down on the chair she had previously inhabited. Her eyes narrowed, be it in defense or in curious suspicion, "Now you know my story." She summed me up for a moment. Alice shifted from her seat atop the couch's arm. She knew where Rosalie was headed, and she too was curious. "You've told us bits and pieces of your past. You've told us what you are, how you became a vampire, and how you met Carlisle, but I don't believe we've heard anything of your human life. I for one would like to know more." Bella and Alice didn't vocalize their curiosities, but they both leaned in closer with anticipation. "Alright," I agreed, "I'll tell you what I can." All three girls leaned in closer as I retold the same story I told Jasper, but this time, in the company of women and those who would understand, I included a few details about my time with the devil- Gabriel.

By the end of my story, the girls were silent. Rosalie was perplexed to find that I shared several torturous occurrences in common with her. Bella and Alice could not utter a word. "Does Jasper know?" Rosalie asked breaking the silence. "Yes," I nodded humbly, "He is aware." "And Carlisle?" "No," I shook my head, "Just Jasper. He was the first person I ever told my story to." Unlike Bella and Alice, I could tell Rosalie was having a hard time accepting my story as true. With a sigh, I stood from my seat and turned to face the wall. I fumbled with the bottom of my shirt, "I understand you, Rosalie… to some extent. I know what it's like to have to live surrounded by things that you've lost and can never get back. And I know how all of you… have something that reminds you every day of what you've lost, a reminder of everything you wished never happened…like a scar etched in your skin that can never heal or even like the bite mark on your skin that never fades or goes away." Alice and Rosalie looked away in thought, and Bella traced the crescent mark on her hand. My hands tightened on the edge of my shirt and I pulled it off. I heard Bella gasp. Alice muttered something under her breath. Rosalie didn't make a sound. "The scars, the memories… they stay with you forever. Every day is like a battle against your inner demons. Should I give up? Should I give in?" I fumbled with the shirt in my hands and turned back around to face them. Their eyes widened as they found my front deformed by burns and scars as well. Nervously, I began naming all of the injuries off in my head- a broken collar bone, numerous lashes covering my back from neck to tailbone, scratch marks and knife marks trailing from my chest and stomach, faded burn marks along my ribs, four parallel lines across my hip, my lack of weight. Atrocious. All of it. But those scars were only skin deep. The things that left no marks- the jokes of love, violent passion, and mental torture- were far worse.

"For years, those questions loomed in my mind in several shapes and forms. I dreamt nightmares of an acidic green eyed man. In truth, I went mad with the memories of him and everything that I had lost," I paused to catch a breath. The next thought brought a small, light smile to my face, "Yet, in all the madness and chaos, I found a purpose to my suffering. I embraced my past, I mourned for all the tragedy, and I took the first step and created a new life that would help me fulfill my purpose. I promised myself that so long as these scars remain upon my body, I will fight. Instead of running and hiding, I would stand and defend. I made a silent oath to never allow such harm befall me, or any other ever again." Bella piped in after a moment of awed silence, "Did you succeed?" I nodded my head and proudly replied, "Yep! Over the centuries I've kept my word. I can proudly say that I successfully aided in the escape and moving of well over 300 slaves in the times of the Underground Railroad. In the 1900s, I aided in the creation of another 'railroad', but this time to help battered women and their children. I held that up for fifty years, but was forced to retire because of the time, although it did continue after me- it still exists in full swing today. During war times, I served as a nurse as well as a soldier. And I think I'll become a doctor again once I graduate."

"Wow," Alice peeped. Bella added as a joke, "And you were arrested how many times?" I beamed and cheerily answered, "Six! I even have pictures!" The three stared at me incredulously. "What?" I asked in confusion. Seeing that they weren't going to talk on their own, I picked up a random board game off of Edward's shelf, "Yahtzee?"

Drama.

How I despise drama.

First, Edward lies to Bella about Victoria coming back to Forks. Second, Victoria decides to play hopscotch on the boundary line. Third, I missed. Fourth, Junior shows up at school in hopes of winning Bella over by exposing Edward's lies and baiting her with the promise of truth. And now? Now, Bella's gone nuts.

It's Friday and Edward (along with his brothers) is still out hunting, so naturally, he isn't here. Bella better thank her lucky stars for that. So, what makes me believe that Izzy's lost her last scrap of sanity? You remember Junior, right? You know, taller than a totem pole, stomach like a bottomless pit, and annoying as a hormonal teenager can be? Yep. Well, guess what. He was just here on his flashy motorcycle. Oh, but don't worry- he left. Oh, and Bella? Yeah, she went with him. Do you see where my stress is coming from?

But I'm not going to get involved. Jacob and Bella will have to settle matters on their own. Bella's going to have to face up to Edward on her own. I'm not getting involved. In fact, I think I'll go to work. With nothing else to do, I'll go to the restaurant early and try to get some more work done.

Finally, a drama free zone. Ah, I bask in your glory, sweet sanctuary of bliss, I sighed as I pocketed the keys to my truck. I gripped the handle to the door, a smile on my face and eyes closed as I inhaled the scent of the flourishing summer flowers. I stepped inside and frowned when I heard my two brothers bickering.

"Would you chill out? We can fix this." The calm, yet stressed voice was definitely Jared. "Chill out? Are you insane? The second Lore walks in and sees this, she's going to _KILL_ us!" Panicked, overwhelmed, and trying to cover something up. Jensen. "Look, Lore will probably be with her boyfriend until the restaurant opens. That gives us a few hours to fix this." "You've lost your mind, haven't you! This is never going to work! Every time we do something stupid, Lore always shows up! It's like she has a built-in Jensen-and-Jared-are-causing-trouble-somewhere radar. We're going to get caught!" "You're being paranoid, there's no way she'd pass up that guy of hers, who I might add is WAY too old for her, to come here early." That's when I opened my eyes.

"JENSEN! JARED!" I heard the clanging of pots and pans falling to the floor in the kitchen. I heard a string of rather vulgar words before Jensen whispered, "See! I told you! _Radar_!" I might have laughed at the two had it not been for my anger. "JENSEN!" I screamed again, seeing red. The brothers reluctantly peeped out from the kitchen door, both sharing a look of utter terror. I gestured quite animatedly to their newest hijink. "WHAT THE HELL IS ALL OF THIS!" Covering every single inch of my precious, carefully decorated and crafted establishment were crates. Big. Giant. Smelly. Crates. And that wasn't the only thing. There were trees. Big. Giant. Potted Trees. In my restaurant.

I glared harshly at the two. "I-I can e-explain," Jensen fumbled with both his words and garments as he squirmed under the heat of my gaze. I simply continued to glare and tapped my foot impatiently. Jared, who was also squirming, handled his words a little better, "Um, err, you see, Lore, Jensen and I wanted to get some more things for the garden outside." "And, uh, the, er, guy delivering came today and he brought everything," Jensen jumped in, "And, well, over the phone, I told them that the doors would be open and that they could move everything on in because we wouldn't be here in time to direct and everything." Jensen faded out, so Jared picked up where he left off, "There was a mix-up of words, Lore. Jensen said 'doors' but he didn't tell them that that included the back doors to the garden. So, the delivery guy brought everything inside."

I glared at the crates. The smell was probably fertilizer. Knowing those two, they were telling the truth. I guess I couldn't really blame them for their terrible luck.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair with stress. I turned my softened glare to the crates and sighed again, "Alright. Let's start moving boxes." The two let out a heavy sigh of relief.

I have to give my brothers credit for their choices involving the garden. To fill in empty space, they brought in dozens of new, brightly colored species of plants. The trees, dogwoods, were lined along the white picket fence. They even thought to add a sculpture or two (from our vault in Italy) and some lights to illuminate the pathway.

I sighed and fell back onto my favorite bench in the garden. It was Friday night, twelve midnight to be exact, and he still wasn't back. I really missed him. Life's no fun when he's not there. I miss his smile, his smell, his icy temperature, his laugh, his musical southern accent- I could go on for hours. I sighed again, possibly for the thousandth time that day, and pulled my heels off. I tossed the evil contraptions aside and brought my legs up to my chest to hug. His voice sang in my mind, half tauntingly, half comforting. Thinking of him, I began to sing our song,

"_These are my words_

_That I've never said before_

_I think I'm doing okay_

_And this is the smile_

_That I've never shown before_

_Somebody shake me_

_Cause I"_

"_**I must be sleeping**_"

I couldn't contain the happiness that bubbled up inside me, nor could I restrain my smile. I looked up to find a mind blowing smile, shaggy, slightly curled golden hair, and two bright, smoldering gold eyes. Over taken by enthusiasm, I leaped. I conquered.

"Jasper!" I cried out as I clung to the beautiful man for dear life. He chuckled, completely unfazed from smashing into the grass, and wrapped his arms around my tiny body. "I take it you missed me," he chuckled, his icy breath caressing my forehead. "Yes," I openly admitted as I straightened from the hug so I could rest my face in the crook of his neck. I kissed his icy neck lovingly. I didn't get to continue for long. Jasper took hold of my face and brought my lips to his own. Not seeing him for so long a time, I eagerly accepted the action with a blazing passion. His hands drifted; his left pulled my hair from its restraints and then entangled in the wild tresses, his other hand slowly trailed from my face down my spine then back up. My hands were entangled in his soft, gold hair.

The kiss grew fiercer, more needing. Jasper kept with the kissing and I'm sure he'd keep going, but I needed air. I broke from the kiss and gasped for much needed air. Wow, I thought, I think I just broke my own record. How long did I go without air? A whole ten minutes? Jasper's breathing became uneven, much like my own. Seeing my lips busy, he trailed his kiss down to my jawbone, then to my chin, and to my naked throat (the one day I misplace my choker). He wasted no time and went straight for the mark he had placed upon me so many years ago. Like the last time he did this, I found myself short of breath. He didn't help my cause. Before I knew it, I was flipped over and he was the one on top of me. The kisses grew more aggressive after I, er, (I felt a great blush grace my face) moaned. That got him a little excited and he began to get a bit carried away. His hands moved again; one had snaked up the back of my shirt and was caressing the scars on my back. The other was trailing up and down my side from my ribs to my thigh. My hands had a mind of their own; they trailed up his shirt and were leaving a blazing trail of fire in their wake. Jasper grew more intense, as did I. Wearily, I tried to move him back to my lips, but he was glued to my neck. I grew a little panicked when, lost in the moment, he began to suck on my neck. Vampire + Blood = Bad. The fact that the act was driving me absolutely crazy didn't help.

I managed to think despite my delirious state. Thinking quickly, I pushed him off roughly and rolled on top of him. His moment of surprise was all I needed to unlatch him from my neck. I gasped hungrily for air as I stared into his dazed eyes. He, too, was breathing quite rigorously. Then, out of no where, I started to giggle. I sat up on his torso and continued the fit. A low growl echoed in his chest as his hands were forced to retreat and settle on either of my hips. He glared mildly, "What?" I chuckled even harder and ran a hand through his hair, "You look like a chia pet!" He failed to see the humor. I tried to describe his hair- it was sticking in so many different directions and the curls had completely straightened and frizzed. Well, actually, my hair probably looked the same, if not worse. I ceased my giggle fit when I found him smirking. It wasn't a good smirk, either.

"What?" I retaliated. He looked up from wherever he was looking and smiled, "I knew I liked this outfit. It seems to think quite fondly of me as well." What? I looked down to find that my skirt had done what most skirts do when you get into a position such as mine. "Eep!" I quickly leaped off of him and pulled my skirt back to its proper length. It had ridden up way too high and had shown way too much skin along with my undergarments. Note to self, don't do that again.

Jasper let out a bold, musical laugh and leapt to his feet. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my lips sweetly. I returned the kiss, and again it turned into a rumble. To say in the least, we ended back on the ground fighting for the spot on top. "I really missed you," Jasper growled lowly as he kissed my cheek. He held me close to his body, now burning hot with contact from my own blazing body, and rained down kisses all across my face. I caught his lips with my own and smiled into the kiss as we both managed to sit up. When we broke apart, I blushed, "As did I." And back to the smooching we went.


	21. Chapter 20 Billy

**Chapter 20**

**Part I**

Bonfire

Oh where, oh where could my Jasper be? I sighed as I rested my head on my arms. I shifted around in the empty booth and glared at the high stack of papers on the tabletop before me. I blew a steady stream of air aimed at my bangs; I watched, half amused, as the brown strands floated with pure boredom.

"How am I supposed to be distracted from doing all of this paper work if there's no distraction to distract me from it?" I groaned. As was every Saturday, I found myself sitting in the dimly lit, closed restaurant filing through the day's profits and calamities. Now, usually, Jasper would have been here by now. When Jasper's here, I'm motivated to actually look at the papers (and quite quickly) so I can get them done in order to spend time with him. But he's not here, so I'm left here all alone in a dark, empty building to stare at a stack of papers until I eventually pass out and latch onto a wooden chair for a huggy-toy when I fall asleep.

I glanced at the clock and felt even more restless. It was twelve midnight. Where was he? Did something happen? Did someone get hurt? Is Victoria in Forks again? Has there been another victim of the Seattle killings, but this time closer to home? Does he not like me anymore? Do I do something stupid? Is the world ending and he's secretly out there trying to fight a giant flaming asteroid as it falls down from the sky to wipe us all out and-

The front door opened. My head flew up instantly and my body turned around completely to face the intruder. "Jasper!" I chirped happily. My smile fell when I saw the look on his face.

Jasper looked tense. His hair was in disarray, probably from running his hands through the tresses so many times. His eyes were dark, careful. At the sound of my voice, he turned to face me. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of me.

"What's wrong?" I questioned quietly as I searched his eyes for the source of his paranoia. The godly man took my hands in his own and kissed them both lightly. His eyelids slid closed and his breath steadied. "What happened?" I insisted. Jasper slowly explained, "It's Bella. This morning she discovered some of her personal items to be missing. When Edward arrived, he found a scent, one belonging to another vampire. Emmett, Edward, and myself have been tracking the scent all day, but we lost the trail."

All color drained from my face. Bella too? It's one thing for someone to be in my room, but to be in Bella's? Something's wrong, very wrong. "It wasn't the same vampire that was in your room," Jasper added. "Victoria?" I asked as I absentmindedly played with his hands to keep my mind from going crazy and overloading with thought. "We're not sure," Jasper frowned as his eyes bore nervously at our entwining fingers, "It's a toss up between her and The Volturi."

Jasper's Point of View

Schuyler let out a loud snarl, a sound I'd thought impossible for the tiny girl, and she rushed right past me in a rage. "The Volturi!" She grabbed the side of her head and growled lowly. Then she began laughing. "Bella really is a monster magnet, isn't she?" She sighed and turned back around to face me. Her eyes were hard, angered. In all the time I'd known her, I've never seen her angry. I've seen her sad, tortured, terrified, happy, loving, beautiful. Never angry.

"What'd she do to piss them off so badly?" She chuckled humorlessly. Her eyes were void completely except for a lace of bitterness. I stood slowly, cautiously and answered, not taking my eyes off her for a single second, "She knows our secret. The Volturi won't allow her to live unless she becomes one of us. There was also a deadline. A possibility might be that they've found out that she hasn't been changed yet." Schuyler accepted the answer with a nod. She sighed irritably, yet calmer than she was when she had the little spurt of anger, and ran her hands through her curly hair. She then looked up to me, the sparkle of her eyes still lost in a void, "It's not the Volturi."

She seemed so sure. Does she know something that we don't? "What makes you say that?" I questioned, still careful. Sky began to pace back and forth, like a creature trapped in a small cage, as she rambled on with her theories, "The Volturi won't kill Bella." Has she lost her mind? She does realize who she's talking about, right? "The Volturi will do whatever they have to in order to keep the secret of the vampires unknown to mortals. Bella stands in their way. The Volturi are known especially for their removal of obstacles." "True," She nodded. Finally, she stopped to stand in front of me with a sad, pained smile, "But you forgot one thing, darling." I ignored the name, "What would that be?" "Aro," She whispered bitterly.

Aro? One of the three leaders of the Volturi? Yes, I answered my previous question, I've fallen in love with an insane woman. Why would Aro object to killing Bella? It makes no sense. "Aro?" I began as she moved to sit on top of the table. "Aro is a collector," She began, her eyes showing that she was lost in a past memory, "A collector will stop at nothing to add to and ultimately complete his collection. Aro will not kill Bella. If I know him well, he knows Bella is different. Bella is a human, yet she can block out even a vampire's gift. Aro… is always looking for something to add to his collection. I can assure you he won't kill Bella until she has been changed and has denied him. Before that, he will wait for the inevitable. Naturally, Marcus and Caius will not object." My eyebrows furrowed and my breathing became shaky, but not for fear of Bella, for Schuyler. "Do they know of your ability?" If they did, it would explain someone in _her_ room. Aro has been after Alice, Edward, and myself for a lengthy amount of time, but if they knew about _Schuyler_… They would never stop until they found her.

"No," she stared emptily for a minute. She finally focused on me, "And I plan to keep it that way." I nodded subconsciously. I would take her secret to the grave, er, well, I wouldn't tell. She frowned and kicked her legs, "If you recall me saying, I've had a run-in with the Volturi before. It wasn't pleasant. I was very fortunate at the time that they didn't figure it out. As far as I'm concerned, they only know that I'm different, that I live, yet at the same time I do not. I thirst for blood, but do not drink it. I was even more fortunate when Aro didn't take that type of interest in me whilst I was in their presence." Suddenly she grinned smugly, "I have to give myself credit for being sneaky, though. I skillfully avoided any physical contact, well, except for the momentary run-in with the shield; that gift only lasted a few minutes. Aro never got his sickly little paws on me. To think I escaped with them only knowing I was 'odd'. I'm quite proud, actually." I rolled my eyes, deciding to weasel the story out her later. But the heart of the matter was that they didn't know anything about Schuyler and that Bella still held the temporary truce with the group. She had a point about the Volturi, but I didn't want to completely rule it out.

Schuyler's Point of View

"Sorry, Jazz," I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair. I apologized sincerely, "I didn't mean to get so… carried away." He simply nodded and took a seat in the booth. "I have to leave," he explained, unhappiness clouding his eyes, "I'm switching off with Edward to patrol outside Bella's house with Emmett. We're taking turns and keeping watch in case the vampire that broke in tries to come back." I frowned. I didn't want him to leave! He just got here! But then again, Izzy needed some heavy duty guarding right now. Victoria's a slippery one. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett will be able to protect her. "Alright," I nodded and kissed him briefly. He sighed into the kiss. When he parted, he looked quite reluctant to leave. "Go," I ushered him out the door unenthusiastically, "Before I change my mind. Shoo." He frowned, but left. I sighed as I locked the door behind him. I guess I'll sleep tonight.

I turned to grab my keys off the table when I realized something. "No!" I cried out. The stupid pile of papers was still waiting to be taken care of. "Curse you," I glared as I sat down, ready for several slow hours of paperwork.

"Sorry, no dogs allowed," I smiled fakely as the giant stumbled into my restaurant early Sunday morning. Jacob frowned and wiped at his red, sleep deprived eyes and grumbled, "Zip it, shorty. I'm not here by choice." Billy rolled in behind him to prove his point. Billy, who was chipper and awake, cheerily greeted, "Good morning, Skye!" "Morning, Billy," I smiled happily as I escorted him past a few early birds to an empty table. As soon as I sat them down and got their orders, Billy started up a conversation (I stayed because business was slow; church hadn't let out yet), "Skye, you wouldn't be busy tonight, would you?" "Hm? No, I believe I'm completely busy free for today," I answered simply. "How would you like to come to La Push? We're having a bonfire," he offered. I looked over to Jacob, who had crashed his head onto the table. He groaned and muttered, "By all means, don't. It's no fun. Don't come." "Stop being so negative," Billy scolded his son. He turned back to me with a tempting offer, "Jake's just playing around. There'll be stories and food." Food? I perked up at the notion. "Free food?" I excitedly questioned. He rolled his eyes, "Sure, sure." So that's were Junior got that from. I suddenly frowned when I remembered something from the past, "Hey, Billy, this bonfire wouldn't actually happen to be a Council meeting, would it?" Jacob snickered victoriously and sat up in his chair with a smirk, "Yes! Everyone that's coming is in the pack! You shouldn't come." "Now, Jake, that's not true," Billy smiled in triumph. His eyes glittered, "Bella will be there, too." "Izzy's going to be there?" I asked off guard. I thought about the invitation for a minute. "Alright," I shrugged, "Count me in." Jacob's face fell in disbelief. "Order up!" Oh, got to get to work. I winked at the boy as I got up, "See you tonight, pup!" He groaned and fell back onto the table.

"Wow, lookin' sexy, Izzy." "Sky? What are you doing here?" Bella asked as she hopped off Edward's motorcycle. Edward was careful as he got off. He eyed me curiously. Bella pulled her helmet off and looked between me and Jacob, who had been a sourpuss ever since this morning. "Get off my car," he glared, already knowing (after telling me repeatedly) that any attempt to pry me off the hood of the car to be futile. "I was invited," I smiled as I ignored the brute. Edward's darkened eyes brightened and he smirked at Jacob, "You're going as well?" "Yep! Free food," I shrugged carelessly.

"That's wonderful," he brightened happily. He kissed Bella and held her close with a smirk (no doubt getting his scent all over her, the ingenious little devil). "Have fun," he told her as he walked her to the border line. "Now will you get off my car?" Jacob glared and then gestured to my truck. I rolled my eyes but slid off the hood none-the-less, "See you there, Izzy." She smiled and nodded as she got into the rabbit and I got into my black truck. "Jeez, Bella, you reek!" I smirked. Jacob started up the car. The rabbit sped off and I followed right after.

"Don't worry about a thing, Izzy," I smiled as I patted our linked arms, "I'll protect you from the big bad wolf." Bella chuckled and side glanced at Jacob, who was frowning. He noticed my stare and stuck his tongue out at me while Bella's head was turned. I mirrored the move.

"Wow," Bella and I muttered as we came upon the cliff. Before us was a circle of people, some of which I recognized. In the middle of it all was a colossus fire. "Nice," I mumbled to myself as I brushed my bangs from my eyes. Once we got to the circle, the wolves grew quiet and a dozen pairs of eyes settled on us. Bella and I shared an unsure glance. I shrugged as we unlinked arms and she stood between Jacob and me. I returned every glance upon me, sizing each one up as I bore into their dark eyes. "Hi!" I beamed to them all, friendly as can be. With a small wave, I introduced myself, "I'm Schuyler!" They all stared at me, baffled. Ignoring the wolves for the moment, I walked up to the humans that I knew- Billy and Sue.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again," I smiled to the older woman, Sue Clearwater. She nodded with a small smile, "The pleasure is all mine." Billy nodded to me with a smile, "Don't worry about the boys. They're to be on their best behavior. Have a look around, eat!" The simple word, eat, made my heart soar. I looked around and found someone at a large grill cooking a few hot dogs. On a table beside that were several bags of extra large potato chips. Beside those were several 2-liters of various sodas. I sighed blissfully, "Heaven."

I slinked to the buffet tablet in a blissful daze only to be thwarted by someone's arm. I frowned, extremely unhappy, and glared at the owner- Jacob. "You're between me and the food, Junior. That's not a good place to be," I growled. Jacob rolled his eyes, "Those are for the adults. We're to roast our own over the fire. That way, we can eat as many as we want without running out every five minutes." My eyes sparkled and lit up, "So I get food! Where are the hot dogs at?" Jacob sighed and steered me from behind to sit on a log beside Bella. He then dragged a giant bag of raw hotdogs over near me. He sat it between myself and a member of the wolf pack. He then handed me a hanger, "Have fun." With that, he left to sit on the other side of Bella, who was already roasting her own hotdog.

I wasted no time in unfolding the metal hanger. Once I had it perfectly straight, I stuck four hotdogs at once and held it over the fire. I got a few strange looks. Just to freak them out or irritate them (either one works), I began whistling a scout song. The wolf on the other side of the hotdogs laughed at me as I nimbly picked off a hot dog and devoured it. "You really going to eat all of that?" He eyed my tiny figure, which was displayed quite easily with the white baby doll top and dark low-rise jeans. "Yep!" I chirped as I devoured the rest. I reached into the bag for four more, "I have a big stomach." Jacob scoffed, "More like a bottomless pit." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"I'm Schuyler, who are you?" I asked as I waited for the food to cook. He stared at me incredulously, "It's Paul." "Well, Paul," I winked, "When you get full after eating those hot dogs, feel free to give me the extras." Paul scoffed, "Like a little girl like you could out eat a wolf." I tried to hide the growing smirk on my face, "Is that a challenge?" Jacob quickly jumped in, "Don't-" "Deal." I jumped inwardly for joy. And so, the contest to see who can eat the most began.

"Dude, how is she _still_ hungry!" "Ooh, are there anymore?" I asked as I looked around the awed faces of the wolves. One, whose name I learned to be Jared, shook his head in a stupor. Jacob groaned, "I warned you! Jeez, Paul." "I can't believe he lost!" Quil, one of the friends Jacob brought previously to the restaurant, teased his friend. Paul moaned as he rubbed his overwhelmed stomach. "Full?" I laughed as I picked off the last hot dog in the bag. He groaned louder and fell onto his back. Bella chuckled alongside me. "Are there any chips left?" I asked the leader of the pack, Sam, who was in charge of the food. He nodded in disbelief and handed over a bag. I eagerly ripped the bag open and began shoveling them down. "134 hot dogs, three 2-liters, and 7 bags of potato chips," Emily, Sam's fiancé, counted off the tally from her notebook. "Potato chip?" I offered some of my prize to the youngest of the pack, Seth. Seth nodded appreciatively and grabbed a handful.

Jacob and Bella were talking off to the side. I couldn't help but eavesdrop when Jacob said, "Don't start _that_ yet, the best part hasn't even started yet." The food wasn't the best part? I frowned as I polished of the last bag of chips; if food wasn't the highlight, then what was?

Billy answered my question. The older man rolled closer to the fire, closer to all of the listening ears. He began by announcing the time and start of the official meeting. Emily, who now sat beside me, flipped to a new page of her notebook and began to scribble down every word he said. Billy, in a rich and loud voice, began the story of the spirit warriors, a story I'd heard many decades earlier when I once attended a council meeting. I leaned in closer and listened closely. I lost myself in the tone of his voice and found myself lost in the magic of the legend of how the wolves came to be.

Once Billy had finished his tale, Old Quil went next. His voice was feeble and lower than Billy's, yet it still held in it a great captivation. Old Quil called for silence as he looked at every single face in the circle. His eyes stopped on my face, the last face, and he smiled for the briefest of moments. Ah, good Old Quil. What a nice guy. I nodded to him respectively. He returned the small gesture. Then, he began the tale of the Third Wife, one I had, too, already heard. Again, I lost myself in the magic of the story.

At the end of the story, everyone was in a daze. It took several minutes for everyone to snap out of it and realize the intense story was over. I blinked and caught sight of Jacob and Bella. Bella, as I noticed a few minutes earlier, had fallen asleep. I began to get up, like everyone else, to go over and help Jacob get her to the car. I walked over to the two.

Billy wasn't finished. He caught everyone by surprise by clearing his voice loudly and announcing to everyone that there was one more story to be told, one told only once before, many, many years prior. Respecting the old man, and eager to hear more, everyone settled back to their places and waited expectantly. I sat down next to Jacob and joined in feeling the suspense.

Billy's attitude changed from eager storyteller to a stoned faced elder who had lived a long life. He looked around the crowd for effect, but lingered on me for several moments. He then announced the name of the story, "This is the tale of the lovers- The lovers that could never be." My eyebrows furrowed; how exactly does this fit into the whole Quileute legend theme? Jacob saw my confusion and explained in a whisper, "It's kind of like Romeo and Juliet. I've only heard dad tell me the story once, but it's pretty much about a Quileute man who falls in love with an immortal creature, an angel. It ends pretty sadly. Rachel, my sister, always cried when she heard it. I'm not sure why he's insisting on telling it now, though. He's never told it before." "What about Old Quil?" I whispered back. "No," Jacob shook his head, "Only dad knows the story." Only Billy? I turned back to my oldest friend as he began his story.


	22. Chapter 20 Billy, Part 2

**Part II**

The Lovers

"This is the story of the lovers that could never be.

Long, long ago, there was a boy who wished to become a man. The boy was wild, free, but impatient and sad. One stormy night, the boy set out to the cliffs in search for answers to his unanswered questions. The boy trekked bravely, stupidly up the steep hills in pelting rain and furious winds. Once near the top, the boy found a figure in white atop the cliff. Entranced, the boy drew closer. Finally, he could make out the creature's features, clear despite the darkened night. An angel, he surely thought, an amazingly beautiful angel returning to heaven.

The boy grew closer.

The girl, he figured to be younger than he, perhaps fifteen, was soaked from head to toe and to the bone. She made no move but to stand at the edge gazing out to the black thrashing waters with impending doom. A great wind blew past the boy and hit the girl full force. The boy winced, fearing greatly that the tiny angel would be swept away and be swallowed by the covetous sea. She was pushed closer and nearly over, but she caught herself by the tiptoes and fell back with tenfold the grace of a ballet dancer onto the balls of her feet.

The boy stood behind her and called out to her. The hurricane blew the words away, yet somehow the angel heard him. She twirled around with the elegance of a carousel, and her face glowed with surprise. Before he could idolize her features, the contours of her face, she drew back instinctively, one foot after the other. Her face grew even more surprised when her foot was not met with rock, but with air. Time slowed, rain froze in midair like tears falling from God's eyes and the angel toppled over the edge and fell with the grace of a dove. And the boy? Mystified, captivated, he jumped off after her.

The boy was immediately engulfed in black. He was confused, lost, struggling against the tide as well as his lungs for breath. Then, like a beacon of light shining out from a lighthouse in the darkness of night, he saw her floating nearby, stationary in the endless, silent abyss. He forgot his aching body with one glance. With the strength of the spirits, he treaded the treacherous sea to save the angel. He reached out and grabbed hold of the mirage, and instantly remembered the need for air when he realized with a gasp that she was real. The boy kicked at the water until he broke with the angel to the surface. From there, he swam them both to the shore.

Once he reached the beach, the boy found the angel freezing with the air and gone but in memory like the wolves of his tribe. The boy did all he could for the stunning beauty; he even prayed to every God, to every spirit. Then, moments later, the angel awoke with a start. Surprised, the boy looked down to find her eyes, the most peculiar, spirited eyes. In a single moment, he found his other and she, hers. And in that moment, the two found a bond so rare, so powerful that even the ancients could not tear them apart. In a single moment, the story began and the lovers were born."

Billy paused in his telling to inspect the faces of the crowd. Everyone, including myself, was absorbed in the story and didn't, no couldn't, notice that there had been a pause. Billy's eyes caught mine and I instantly remembered the story, exactly as it had happened centuries ago.

_I was looking down at the rapids, at the tortured, maddened sea. It was so surreal, so familiar. Rain and wind pelted from the sky angrily. It was like me on the inside- mad in every way one could be mad, tortured, dark. I took a step closer on the cliff towards my greatest fear. Would I be so lucky as to die? Would I sink and forever lie as a corpse at the bottom or would I resurface and live on as the sea? Again, I drew closer. My drenched white sundress blew about and stuck at odd angles to my legs. Would the fear stop me? Or would my raging mind overwhelm that sense? Again I stepped closer._

"_Don't do it!" I swirled around at the voice. I was completely surprised to find a teenage boy. Out of habit, I stepped back a few paces. I found fate when my feet found no ground and I toppled over the edge. I fell._

_For so long, I was falling. I knew the stories weren't true. I didn't see my entire life flash before my eyes. I didn't see a bright light. I didn't hear the angels calling out to me. Perhaps I wouldn't go to Heaven? Perhaps I was doomed to forever roam the earth. Perhaps. My tiny body broke through the waves into the impending darkness._

_I wasn't awake anymore. But I was happy. I was numb. I couldn't think, couldn't break. All I felt was peace and ice. Yet, somehow I was still unsettled by the water. I feared it. My heart began to speed up and I began to become less numb and more aware of my surroundings. _

_I felt it. Heat. Water rushing by. The air. Movement. Sand. His hands beating rhythmically over my heart, calling for air to return to my lungs. I detested the movement. I didn't want to leave the numbness, the nothingness. Warmth filled my lips and I felt air return to me. It took me several minutes, but I snapped my eyes open angrily with all intention to scream at the vile creature that pulled me from my watery grave. But when we met eyes, I wasn't angered. I was captivated. _

_It was a Native American boy that had saved me. His eyes, they were beautiful. He stared intently for the longest time. Despite myself, I grew embarrassed. Mouth gaped at him and my mind reeled with thousands of words, none of which I thought perfect enough for this moment._

"_Hi," I whispered hoarsely. I cursed inwardly at the worst possible choice of words. The boy seemed stunned, awed by my voice. Once he got over the initial shock, he responded in a similar fashion, "Hi." I smiled at the boy and felt something odd- the light beating and leaping of something in my chest. What is that? My eyes never left my savior, and his never left mine._

Billy took a deep breath and continued in a rich voice a story that would never have the happy ending,

"The angel left him hours later. Then, days passed, closely followed by weeks.

The boy was always thing of her. At every sound, at every corner he would turn in hopes of seeing the angel again. The boy found himself disappointed every time- he saw many faces, none of which was hers.

Finally, one day as he was walking about his village, he turned a corner blindly and ran into a great force that repealed him backwards. He was angered, as he usually was after losing sight of the angel, and stood to release his frustration on the force that had interrupted his thoughts. He was stunned when he found two familiar eyes staring back. It was his angel. With a single smile, he was swept away to paradise. Finally, the lovers were reunited."

I remembered that day well. I was walking about aimlessly in La Push, thinking of the boy that saved me, when I found him. I was so happy. We spent the entire day together. We wandered the forests, walked every street, and told stories of our past. I was so in love with him. I smiled sadly; it was my very first love.

"Soon, the lovers were known by all in the village. The boy learned in time that the angel was no angel, but the most beautiful girl, human, he'd ever seen.

Time passed and the lovers became inseparable. They never parted, and were hence never seen one without the other. Many thought it was a love to last.

One day, the girl found out the secret of the wolves. She knew they had existed. She knew the legends to be true. The elders were the first to know, or maybe they had always known. After a short council, they found her far too dangerous, for reasons the boy would not discover for many a time. On that very decision, the girl was banned from the village and the lovers' relation condemned."

The elders knew of me. They knew that I had been around in the time of Ephraim Black. They knew I knew their secret and in turn, they knew mine. I wasn't human. I was one-of-a-kind. I was dangerous. They condemned us both and forbid us from ever seeing one another again, for fear of me. My brothers and I were banned from the reservation. But the hold on us didn't last long.

"The lovers would not be torn.

In secret, they met every night on the border. They did not allow any elder, any force to stop them. In hiding, their bond flourished and strengthened. The elders were blind to it all.

But many others were not."

Billy's voice crumbled with emotion. He held his eyes closed for the briefest of moments. He took a deep breath and continued with a shaky smile,

"One day, a creature known in legend as "the cold one" appeared in the outskirts of the village. The monster drew closer and closer to the village, unhindered by the threat of legends, for he knew them to be just that- legends. Finally, after many days, the creature entered the village. He stayed a single, terrible night. When daybreak shone over the hills, the tribe awoke to the grimmest of horrors- a child had been slaughtered and drained dry of the elixir of life.

The following night, the lovers were meant to meet in the forest. The boy went to go, but was held back and stopped by the elders for the dangers that the forest now held. The boy did not go. The girl, however, did. She went to the forest in the dead of night, alone. Unlucky as she always was, instead of the boy she was to meet, it was the monster. A life was lost that night."

Billy paused, his eyes closed. A sob, a gasp. A low rumble of voices rolled against the silence. People shuffled, unsure of the meaning of the story. Confused by its ending. Jacob made a move to inform then, but I beat him to the punch. "The story isn't over," I strongly announced with a whisper. All of the wolves, with their sensitive hearing, heard me and quieted. "How did you?" I ignored Jacob and kept my eyes trained on the teller. Billy didn't open his eyes, no doubt telling this story by the memories that clouded his vision. Billy continued, filled with the intent to finish the story,

"When morning came, the elders sent out the strongest men, including the boy, in the village to scope the forests. They, indeed, found the lifeless body. They also found the one that was alive. I cannot describe in words the thoughts in his head or the emotions in his heart as he found his angel.

The body had been torn and burned. It was only by legend that they knew. The creature had been shredded like paper and set on fire in a pile of twigs and logs. The angel sat sleeping next to all that was left. The man, no longer a boy, picked up the angel and brought her to the village that she had undoubtedly saved.

The elders had no choice but to repeal their previous decision. The girl, the man insisted, was not a terror, but a savior. The girl was praised for her bravery and grudgingly given permission to cross the lands of the village once again. The elders were smug, knowing however, when they allowed the lovers to be together again. They gave her a warning only she could understand, "You cannot fight time," they said.

Years passed and the village grew weary. The boy began to understand. Time. For the years he had known the angel, she had never changed. Never aged. They both grew fearful, but ultimately overlooked the fact.

A year passed and the villagers were baffled and afraid. The girl had not aged, for sure. The elders shared the fear. They weren't the only ones.

Her family shared her infliction. They, too, could not age. They became fearful, more worrisome than the elders. They told the lovers that they could not be. That they should not be. The girl took the words to heart. The boy, however, was far too consumed by his own and he could not see. He fell harder and harder for his angel."

We were in La Push for six years, the longest we'd ever been in one place ever since we found out what we were. I was supposed to be in my twenties then, but I still looked like a child who, on a good day, could barely pass for eighteen. The temporary truce with the elders was already shaky; they thought for sure that I would leave before it reached the point where people would start noticing that something wasn't right, wasn't human. Jared and Jensen kept telling me that it was getting dangerous and that we had to leave. I didn't want to listen. But eventually… the heresy began to sound less… crazy.

"War had torn the nation in two. Times were uncertain and delusive. Her family found the time perfect and planned to take their leave. They wanted to take her with them. The man was the last to know.

He raced from morning, hoping with everything that she would still be there. That the gossip was a lie. That she would always be with him. By the time he found her, it was twilight. She was leaving.

Faith, he thought at the time, must have been with him. He caught the angel girl before she could fly away. He swore upon that very spot, that very hour that he wouldn't let her go, wouldn't stop loving her. He poured his heart out and offered everything.

She cried for the longest time. He could see it in her eyes. She wanted to stay. But life, seemingly at the time, was cruelest of all.

On one side of the border stood the elders and the man. On the other side stood the immortals. The man did not want her to go, for he loved her so much. The girl loved him the same, but she was the wiser. She knew that it wasn't right.

Both sides grew impatient. The elders and the brothers forced the last two remaining apart. In all of the chaos, the two recited their vows. They agreed upon one thing- love. Love is forever, no matter how far, how long distanced. She told him one more thing about love; in some case, love can come twice. Although the two grew farther and farther in distance, she continued."

I felt something at my eyes. God, what is that? The image of the stone faced Billy became blurred. He began to recite the words, the very words I had said so many moons ago…

"_You'll always be with me, and I with you."_

_I struggled against my brothers, who dragged me farther from him, from my home. Determined to say what my heart threatened to drown me with, words, I began to yell over the distance. I had to tell him. I couldn't let him be shadowed in pain. He doesn't deserve it. I don't deserve him._

"_But love comes twice! You'll find it again, I know you will."_

_ A shove, a push. A hit, a tear. Further yet, hearts aglow. _

"_When you do, You'll have everything that I could never give you!" _

_ A rush. A trip, stumbling closer to my counterpart. I drew close when my brothers caught up and continued to pull me away. He escaped, if only for a moment and ran. He caught my hand and I clung to the lifeline. _

"_You'll fall in love again, have a family, live your life, grow old, watch your children grow up, and look on everything in your life with happiness and without regret."_

_I broke down in tears then._

"_That's why we can't be! I can't give you any of that! I can't make you happy."_

_I stopped resisting. Everyone was shocked by the words. They knew us, our relationship. They knew we were both the two most stubborn beings on this side of the globe. They knew neither of us would ever give the other up. Until now. _

_He was confused. _

_The light in his eyes dimmed immediately. The sparkle I had grown to love vanished. His gentle face grew angered. I remember the betrayal in his eyes, the pain in my chest. The feeling of numbness, like falling off that cliff and hitting the water so many years ago. _

_He released my hand and slapped it away. I recoiled slightly with a sad, knowing smile. The pain was fierce, but it would pass. God, I had hoped, let it pass. _

"_The lovers that could never be…_

_One day, I might return. When I do, I know I'll find you happy. You'll have done everything you were supposed to. You will have lived._

_I'll love you forever, even if you don't love me._

_I'll keep your home, your family safe even when you've long been gone. _

_I'll cherish our memories until the end of me, and when God reaches his hand to finally take back my life, I'll meet you at the Gates._

_But, until that day comes…_

_I will tell our story for generations to come. _

_The story of the lovers that could never be."_

_ He, too, stopped struggling. He was so hurt, so betrayed. Yet, in his anger, I saw a light, small and dim, but a light. It told me he knew it was true. It told me he'd be okay. But the pain never passed. I let my brothers take me away from that place, from my home. He let the elders, the people who he grew up with and would grow old with, lead him home. We set off in hopes of never coming back. And we wouldn't have, had it not been for our cover nearly being blown in Salem many years later. I never expected to come back, to see him belong to someone else, to be in pain like myself. I never expected to find my heart again, either. It was my first love and it was painful and not my last. But it was my first love and I'll always cherish it, always remember it._

And that was our story. The story of how we met, how we fell in love, why it didn't last, and why my heart had become that much harder to find. It's why I sit here, _crying_. It was a sad ending, but it was right. It was what I had to do.

"Years passed."

I looked up. Billy's eyes were glassy from tears, from emotions he'd kept locked away, hidden from the rest of the world, from his self. I tried to hold back a sob as I noticed he never, not even once, looked away. He grew so strong, something I couldn't truthfully say about myself. What words were left to say? That was how the story ended.

"And the man, now older and wiser with time, found her. She had returned to the village, if only for a short time. He felt a pang in his heart when he saw her angel face, looking exactly the same as it had. He was afraid and ashamed at first. His skin had weathered with time as well as his bones that had grown weak. But she was still his angel. She recognized him, despite the drastic changes of life, and smiled.

In a single moment, he realized she was right. She had been right all along. He had fallen in love with another several years after the angel. He had many children, lived his life to the fullest, grew old, and watched his children grow. He lived happily, without regret.

In a single moment, he realized all of her promises were true.

In her eyes, he could tell that she still loved him, that she would always love him.

From her actions, he knew that she had protected his family and his home, no, their home, and that she always would be there whenever troubles would ensue.

She cherished our memories.

And the story?

The man finally realized his faults. He realized all that she had given up and why. She did it all for him. And so, the two were reunited after so long. The pain had passed. The hiding was not needed. All that was left was love. Of course, lovers, as the title tells, they would never be. But friends, friends they were. It was a friendship so great that it had survived the ages and years of not knowing. It was a friendship so strong that no law, no words could break it. It is a friendship that still exists, even now, and will continue existing in their story even after they're both gone. And death? As she had said, even at the gates.

Forever."

Forever.

_I turned around to find two wide black orbs staring straight into my own widened eyes. "Billy?"_

_ I slammed the door and turned to smile at Billy, "Long time no see, Black." He chuckled, "Still peppy as ever, I see." I beamed at the man. "Billy," I walked closer to the older man and kneeled down beside the chair, "I missed my best friend." "I missed you, too," he replied, a small smile growing out from the corner of his lips._

**Forever.**

I'll love you forever, _**Billy Black**_.


	23. Chapter 20 Billy, Part 3

**Part III**

Remind Me

Jacob's Point of View

I always thought this story was kind of weird. It was nothing like the legends and it was about _love_- a **forbidden** love. Hah, if only Bella was awake. She'd probably have a field day. Geez, I thought as I looked around the circle. The reactions were various. Most of the girls were crying- like Emily, Kim, and Leah (I had to double-take at that one!). I had to hold back a laugh when I saw Embry and Paul tearing up. I looked at my dad last. He was calmer and smiling. He looked as if the world had been lifted off of his shoulders. And he was staring? I followed his line of vision. Schuyler?

She was crying and trembling. She stared off into space, no doubt swarmed with thoughts. Why was she crying? "Hey, shortie," I flicked her shoulder. She didn't budge or show any sign that she realized I was there. I followed her line of vision back to my dad. He nodded, to her, and stepped away to help Sue Clearwater. After realizing the meeting was over, people began to pack up. I pushed at Schuyler's shoulder and nearly knocked her over. That got her attention. "Huh!" She shot up like a rocket and looked every which way in confusion. She spotted me.

Her cheeks puffed out in anger and she frowned. Cute. She stood up from the log and brushed any dirt from her clothing. She reached up a hand to wipe away her- WOAH. Wait. Did I call her cute? What the hell!

My smile fell while she wiped away all of the tears from her pale white face. Bad Jacob, I scolded myself, _bad_. "You sick or something, Junior?" She muttered as she looked at me oddly. I shook my head, "No, we have to get Bells to the car." "Hm?" She glanced at Bella and shrugged. She bent down in front of her and picked Bella, who was twice her size, up. "No problem. Let's go." I tried not to gape. I mean, she was half _vampire_. She had to be strong. But still! The girl was barely 5'4"! And she was thinner than a toothpick! So, for her to be able to pick her up as if she were air, well… it looked weird.

"Come on, pup," She sighed tiredly as she carried Bella towards my car. I followed. It was silent. "So, how's life, pup?" Sky asked curiously. From what I've been able to learn, this little pipsqueak squirmed in silence. That and she eats a lot. Now that I think about it, what else do I know about her?

"It's alright, I guess," I shrugged as I glanced at Bella. I didn't really have too many complaints at the moment. Bella forgave me, so what else could I want? Well, I wanted her, but that's highly unlikely. I'm not giving up though.

Sky caught me sneaking peeks at Bella. "I really was rooting for you, you know," She spoke softly. "I know," I whispered back. I kicked a rock as a new question came to mind. "Hey, why do you?" "Why do I what?" She asked back, her green and blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Root for me?" I asked as I stepped over a fallen tree. "I guess," she hopped over the same tree like a bunny, "I've always rooted for the underdog. It's always been in my nature to do so." "Why?" She smiled sadly, not at all bothered by my insistence. "I guess… it's because I've been where you are. I was in a similar situation, kind of. Or well, actually it was a combination of your problem and Edwards. Odd."

Oh really? How could she have possibly managed that? Well, that love must have been doomed. "Do tell?" I asked as we reached the car. I lifted Bella from her arms and slid her into the front seat. I couldn't resist my curiosity. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to know how she dealt with the same mess that Bella, me, and that blood sucker are all trapped in. She was silent for a moment. "I fell in love, my first love," she sighed turning to the forest. "And for once in my life, my love was returned. He loved me nearly as much as I loved him. But… I wasn't human. _He was_.

The love worked out for a few years and we were happy, but I couldn't help but notice that something wasn't right. I wasn't supposed to exist; I didn't belong in the world, but he did. To say in a few words, I told him that we couldn't be together. I told him he'd fall in love with someone else, someone who would make him happy."

She looked to me with a bitter smile, "I cannot have children, like vampires. But I don't have any venom, so I can't create a companion. I didn't have the heart to drag him, or anyone else for the matter, down with me. I just wanted him, everyone, to be happy." I was silent as the familiar story sank in. "How is that like my problem?" I asked, surprisingly with out anger. "Like Edward," she smiled, "I fell in love with a human. And like Edward, I left. But unlike Edward, I had no means nor will to create a companion. Like you, I lost my love and I couldn't get him back. You had Bella but she chose Edward. I wanted my love, but he was meant to be happy, and I had no place in the world, much less his life." Well, sad.

A ring from Sky's cell phone made us both jump. She clucked her tongue and rolled her eyes when she read the I.D. She answered, "Yeah, yeah, lover boy. We're on our way." She hung up. I snorted, "The blood sucker?" She shrugged and glanced at Bella, "Guess you should get her to the line before Edward decides to plunder the village." I rolled my eyes, "Bye, shortie." She stuck her tongue out before rounding to her truck, "Bye, Junior." I opened the door to my car and slid in. As I turned the key, Sky said one last thing, "You know, you remind me of him." "What?" I asked. She rolled the passenger window on her truck down so I could hear better. "You remind me of him." "Who?" Who is she talking about? Remind her of whom? "You look so much like him. Your personalities are similar, too." Wait. Is she comparing me to her old boyfriend? Is that legal? "I really hope things work out for you, for all of you," she whispered as she looked from me to Bella. "Night," she smiled before rolling the window back up. With that said, she sped off.

I followed suit, but found myself ensnared in an epiphany. Schuyler's story and the one dad told… they sounded a lot alike. _Too much_ alike. So… according to Schuyler, I looked like her first love. And I acted like him too. According to the story, the lover was a human and a member of the tribe. And it was a long time ago, which, you know, is possible because she's so old. But that brings me to the story. Only dad knew it. So does that mean…?

Nah. My dad and Schuyler? Ha! Yeah, and hell just froze over. I laughed at myself. There was _no_ way. I chuckled at myself again. Then I stopped. My dad and Sky are best friends and have known each other for years. The way he looks at her… the way I look at Bella… Ew! Gross! No way! NO WAY!

I shook the thoughts from my head as I pulled over at the boundary. God should smite me down for thinking such insane things. There's NO way. Nope, it could never happen.

Regardless, I shivered as I pulled Bella from the car. I walked quickly over to the blood sucker and (reluctantly) handed her over. I am _so_ having nightmares tonight, I thought bitterly to myself. The stupid mind reader must have heard me. With a smirk, he teased, "What? Did the legends of us vicious vampires scare you?" My face fell into a frown. I thought of my troubles and his face fell too. "See my point?" Edward's face contorted with disgust. He quickly took Bella and put her into his shiny little Volvo and drove off like a bat out of hell. Ha, yeah. If he could sleep, he'd be having nightmares too.


	24. Chapter 21 Photograph

_**Note**__: _So, between having my wisdom teeth taken out and being hopped up on Hydrocodone, I figured my free time would be best used putting out some chapters, and quite a few at that. Just to give you a heads up, things are about to get crazy up in here…

_**Disclaimer**__: _I do not own Twilight.

**Chapter 21**

_To Lay Down One's Life_

You've got to be kidding me.

I sighed angrily again as I pouted at my desk while the teacher prattled on about something or other. I think it was the Civil War. I glanced away from the board and stared out the window towards the clouds. For once it wasn't raining. It was cloudy, but not raining.

But that's not why I'm cranky. I'm cranky because _someone_ forgot to tell me that today was a skip day. So, here I am sitting in class. And where are my dear friends Edward, Alice, and Bella? Not here. And they forgot to tell me. Somehow, I think Edward is to blame. It'd be just like him to "accidentally" forget to tell me. Ha! And he calls himself a vampire.

And that's not the end of my problems. There's another and the humans like to refer to him as "Mike Newton." Apparently, he doesn't understand "no". Or go to hell, for that matter. _There it is again!_

My sharp eyesight analyzed the dim forest outside the school. I felt eyes. Someone, some_thing_ was watching me. I could feel it, but I couldn't see it. I frowned when my search came up short. "Ms. Anderson?" My glare moved from the landscape to the teacher. He jumped at the irritation in my eyes. "Er, um," he mumbled, pulling at his collar. Just then, the bell rang and school ended. The teacher sighed in relief and quickly rushed out of the classroom. I shrugged and followed suit.

So, where to? Hm, should I go visit the Cullens? I wonder if I could get away with setting Edward on fire? Technically, I wouldn't be _killing_ him. After all, he _is_ already dead. Then again, I always have trouble lighting matches. Perhaps jumping him as soon as I see him will be more efficient. Yeah. Jumping it is. _Again!_

I looked up immediately, having felt the all familiar eyes, across the parking lot. The car keys in my hand slipped from my fingers; their collision with the concrete produced a resounding jingle.

Hidden in the forestry stood a man. No, I corrected myself, a _boy_. The boy was fairly tall for his age. He had to be nearly six feet tall and he couldn't have been older than 17. The teen had shaggy dark brown hair, maybe black, with bangs that swept across his face from one side to the other. His eyes were an unnatural bright orange. But that wasn't the cause for surprise. It was…who he looked so much like…

My feet pushed against the concrete, thrusting my body into motion and guideing me closer and closer to the mysterious child. This child, I thought, I _know_ this child. It was _him_. The boy in my visions. The beautiful being whose face was contorted with anger. The child in the arms of the faceless woman. The boy who was so much like my Edward.

Mike Newton honked as he drove by in his mother's mini van. He stopped in the middle of the road, blocking my view, right in front of me and rolled down the window. "Schuyler! Hey!" He smiled. One of his friends punched him on the shoulder and both grinned from ear to ear. "Hi," I mumbled as I tried to look over the vehicle, but to no anvil. Mike's smile widened, "Hey, you going to the Cullen's party?" "Yeah," I answered, merely out of politeness (believe it or not, but he and his family are our biggest customers). "Alright! So am I! How about we go together?" I stared at him in disbelief. I raised a hand like a white flag of surrender, "Sorry, I'm taken." The grin immediately wiped off his face. I could tell he only half believed me. "If you-" "I won't," I cut him off with a fake smile. As if I would trade Jasper for him. _Ha_. With that, I stepped back and launched into a running start, jumping high enough to slide across the hood of the car, and then sprinted to the other side of the road. I didn't bother to look back to see if Mike left or not. I kept running until I reached the forest.

The boy was gone, I frowned as I silently cursed Mike Newton. With a sigh, I glanced around the forest from the spot he had been standing. There was no sign of anyone ever being there, no sign other than a single misplaced scent. It was strong; he must have been standing there for quite some time. I frowned and sniffed at the air. _Huh? This scent?_ Most definitely. This is the same scent from my room, I grimaced. So, the boy had been in my room… but why? I shifted from one foot to the other. I heard a distinct rustle from the action. With a frown, I lifted one foot and looked down. "A piece of paper?" I mumbled as I bent down to pick the folded square off the ground.

"What's this?" I unfolded the old, time-stained paper. The paper was far more than a mere piece of paper; it was a picture. The photograph was old. It had been folded, creased, and had faded. It looked as if someone had folded it, and then unfolded it countless times. I scowled when I found tears staining the entire canvas. But what baffled me most was of the object—the woman in the monochrome photo. It was of _me_, one hundred years ago.

I remember the picture well; the picture I thought to have lost soon after it had been taken in the late 1870s. It was a time of invention, so, naturally I had excitedly jumped at the marvel of the 'photograph'. I remember the time well as it was also only a few years after I became a vampire.

The picture was stunning, I'll admit. I had been wearing a lavender Victorian dress, and oh! How did I make it shine! The garment fit my every curve perfectly and the dress was set like a corset with off-the-shoulder sleeves. My hair at that time was the longest it'd ever been; it cascaded in curls all the way down my spine. Yet, in my picture, the wild tresses were tame and pinned back elegantly with an intricate pin shaped like a moonflower—a pin I still had to this day. My image was very much the same as it had been, except for the crescent scar hidden by lace upon my neck. My eyes, as per usual, stood out, even though the picture had no color.

It was a beautiful photograph. But… why is this out here? Did the boy drop it? If he did, then where did he get it? Why would he even have it in the first place?

I sighed heavily. It would seem that I had more questions then answers. Ah, the story of my life. I folded the picture back up and slid it safely into my messenger bag before returning to my neglected keys and truck as this new development wrecked havoc upon my nerves.

The lid on my past was beginning to loosen. My mind ran wild with fears as I made the long stride to my truck. First, the song; second, my story; third, the medal; and now this… I slid into the driver seat and turned the key in the ignition. I glanced detachedly at the road as I began to drive. My past, slowly but surely, was being unraveled… and with it… all the secrets I'd vowed to keep hidden from the rest of the world.

* * *

"I'll get it," Edward announced as Jasper wrapped up the end of his life story. Edward flitted from the living room, past the fascinated Bella and the gloomy Alice, to the door. When he opened it, he found himself lost for words. "Oof!"

What jumps like a frog, soars like an eagle, and tackles like a linebacker?

"Schuyler! Get off!" Edward grumbled. I smiled evilly as he tried to crawl away_. Revenge is sweet_, I cackled, full knowing he could hear this thought. I pinned him down and gripped his head in a headlock. "You did that on purpose!" I shouted at him. Edward grew agitated and flipped me off of him and stood to get away. I was quicker.

Thunk! Ah, the sweet sound of falling vampire. I giggled happily after swinging my leg across the floor to trip him. And he actually fell! "What did I ever do to you?" He glared miserably from the floor. I crawled over and sat on him as if he were a couch. He growled. "As if you don't know," I scoffed as I threw a dirty glare in his direction. Then, a light bulb lit the recesses of my mind as a sinister smile graced my lips and an ingenious idea formed in my thoughts. I threw Edward a cunning glance. He instantly froze and warned, "You wouldn't dare." My smile grew wilder, "Hey, Bella, did Edward ever tell you-"

"Schuyler?" I instantly tuned into the southern accented tenor. Jasper looked at me with pure confusion. I felt Edward sigh with relief. All traces of anger and revenge left me the second my eyes fell upon him. "Jazz!" I cheered excitedly. Before Bella could even blink, I sprung off Edward and leaped onto Jasper, who in turn caught me before I could take us both down. I slung my arms around his neck and hugged his entire upper body. He held my legs loosely, yet securely against his abdomen. I pecked his cheek happily, "I missed you!"

Jasper hid his smile and turned his head to stare at a wall in embarrassment. I didn't need to hear his words to know he felt the same. Edward coughed suggestively from beside me. I glared sharply, "Bella, Edward-" Edward quickly carted her up the stairs and to his room. "Party pooper," I grumbled at their pace. "Fire cracker!" I turned to the ever cheery booming voice with a smile. "Hey big bear!" He howled with laughter at the nickname (I gave it to him while he was goofing off with Jared and Jensen—it had to do with his food preference). Jasper set me down onto my feet and settled for resting a hand on my waist. "Hey, are your brothers coming to the party?" He asked with a giant Emmett grin. I rolled my eyes with a playful smile, "We're catering, Emmett." He bellowed, "Can't wait! You'll save me a dance, right, Fire Cracker?" "Sure will, Big Bear." We air-fived to seal the deal.

Jasper took my hand and tugged me towards the stairs. I complied, but stopped when I took notice of a frustrated Alice. Why wasn't she perky today? She's usually bouncing about. It must be the problem with Seattle. I couldn't see anything either, which sucks. I was at a loss for words until an idea came to me. And just as it came to me, it came to Alice. It only took a single glance between us to make the plan. Instantly, she perked up and flew to her feet. She excitedly chirped, "Really? You're the best, Sky! I can't wait!" She cheered and hugged me excitedly. "Leave the teachers to me! I'll get them to let us take all of our finals tomorrow so Thursday and Friday will be free." She cheered and hugged me again before flying up the stairs, no doubt to start packing and call my brother with the news.

Jasper frowned and pulled me up the stairs. As soon as we got to his door, he picked me up with one arm and opened the door with the other. He closed the door once we entered and he sat me, then himself, on the bed. "What was that about?" He asked with a small smile as he ran a hand through my curly hair (he wasn't very comfortable with being affectionate around other people). I smiled back, "Edward's evil. He didn't tell me it was skip day, so I had to go to school by myself." Jasper frowned, "I thought he felt a little too smug today." I nodded, "Oh, and Alice and I aren't going to be here Thursday and Friday." He really frowned now, "Where are you going?" He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Paris," I smiled and reclined my head backward into his chest. I watched his upside down features change. From my point of view, it looked like a grimace. "Let me guess, shopping?" "Yep!" I chirped and kissed his jaw. He rolled his eyes with a small smile and warned, "Alice is a serious shopper. Beware." "You'll be surprised," I beamed and twisted so I could face him without any strain.

"So, what'd you guys do while your entertainment was away?" I smiled coyly, "Twiddle your thumbs?" "No," he sighed as he rolled up his sleeve. I followed his eyes. My own trailed over the numerous bite marks decorating his ghostly white skin. I caressed the marks gently and traced every single indent. "I suppose you're going to tell me that those are sexy, too," he chuckled as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I smirked, "I was shooting for manly, but that works, too." My hands and both our eyes remained on the marks upon his arms, the arms that rested comfortably around me. "You told Bella your story?" I questioned in a low, calmed whisper. His nod swayed my entire body back and forth. "It was a theory…" "Theory?" I questioned curiously. "Yes," he replied, complete seriousness overcoming the conversation, "An army."

I instantly perked up and grabbed the sides of his face. "An army?" I repeated, in awe, "Like, the South you-bit-me army?" He nodded. I let out a sound of panic and disbelief, "An army!" I smacked my head with the palm of my hand as all of the pieces began to fit together, "Jasper, why didn't I see it earlier! Of course! All of the signs! Someone's creating an army of newborns in Seattle!" I cursed aloud and fell back, still in Jasper's arms, onto the bed and covered my eyelids with an arm. "Damn it!" I groaned. I huffed for a few minutes, repulsed by my ignorance, then sighed heavily. "Does Alice know anything else?" "No," he muttered, falling back beside me. I peeked at him from underneath my arm, "They change their minds too much?" He nodded simply and closed his eyes. An army of newborns… nothing short of Armageddon for Forks, huh? Who is behind this? I wondered, who is crazy enough to actually try something as insane as creating an army of unstable, blood thirsty creatures? "Again, there's a toss up between Victoria and the Volturi. Everyone is leaning towards the Volturi. They have many reasons to come after us—they want to settle the matter of Bella's mortality as well as the growth of our coven." I frowned, my mind drifting a million miles away to another time, "It's not the Volturi. They don't break the rules." I felt his hand find mine and he entwined our fingers. "That's what Carlisle and I agreed upon. We think it's Victoria," he added. "Makes sense," I shrugged, "Crazy lady, crazy idea." He shrugged as well.

"So," I brought up oh-so-casually, "What's our plan of action?" Jasper smiled despite himself, "I'm going to give lessons on how to fight newborns." My smile widened, almost crazed, "It's been quite awhile since 'Nam. I'm in!" His smile dulled. He reached out his unoccupied hand and twisted a curl around his thin, long finger. "The fight's too even. We have the upper hand in skill, but not in numbers. We'd win, but at what cost?" I didn't think about that. My hand lifted to the hand upon my face. I leaned into his hand and closed my eyes as his words echoed in my mind. _But at what cost? _What he meant was 'who wouldn't be coming home'?

It was then that I realized the true intensity I felt for this family, _my_ family. I loved every one so much. I loved Alice—the conniving, wonderful, amazing girl; Bella, the most awesome human I'd ever met; Emmett, the triplet to my brothers and the man who could always cheers me up; Rosalie, beautiful, haughty, yet the only one who could truly understand me; Jared, my brother, the calm, cool headed Jared who reached out his hand to me in my time of need and kept me safe for as long as God could allow; Jensen, my other beloved brother, the dynamic, trouble-making love sick boy who excepted me no matter the situation; Carlisle, my very first friend in my inhuman life and the man who taught me that I didn't have to be a monster; Edward, the annoying, wonderful boy, a boy that I truly held dear to my hidden heart, a boy who would never know how much so; Esme, the mother I wished I would have had, the woman who adopted me as her own, even after only knowing me for so little of a time… and Jasper. My beloved Jasper! Reality came crashing down on me at the mere thought of him not being here with me in the end… my dearest Jasper, who I had yet to tell how much I loved him.

When had I fallen in love with them all? When did I fall so hard? None of them. None of them, I silently begged God, will be harmed. I won't allow it. No one will hurt my family, my loved ones. Not even if I have to defy God to save them. Not even if I have to fight the heavens, the oceans, the Earth—not one will be lost.

"Schuyler?" Jasper cooed as he cradled my face in his palm. His eyes were glassy, yet he did not shed a tear. In his eyes, I could see the storm, a similar storm that raged on inside me. "Not you," I whispered. His thumbs slid across my face in the spot underneath my eyes. Tears. Not you, I thought, not _anyone_.

I made a silent pact with God that day.

I vowed that no harm would ever come to them,

that…

If the time would come where my promise would be violated…

I would eagerly give up my own life,

if only to save theirs.

I would protect them, even if it would cost me my life.


	25. Chapter 22 Paris

_**Note about the Cast**__**: **_**S**o, it never quite occurred to me to mention casting before, but I always imagined _Schuyler_ to look something like _Alexis_ _Bledel_ because she's cute as a button. Her brothers—_Jensen_ and _Jared_—are portrayed by none other than the Supernatural brothers, _Dean_ _and_ _Sam_ _Winchester_. "The Man with the Scar" will play a larger part after on and he will be played by _Charlie_ _Hunnam_, who was almost Carlisle. And then the biggest bastard in the World, _Gabriel_, is portrayed by the ever creepy _Cillian_ _Murphy_. The mysterious boy that continues to pop up resembles _Alex Mckee_ (on google, he looks most like the picture with the checkered jacket). And on a side note, the _Jasper_ I've imagined has always looked like the yummy _Trent Ford_.

If this casting in anyway messes up with how you've imagined the characters, then by all means, please ignore it.

**Chapter 22**

_The Man with the Scar_

"This is ridiculous."

"Is not."

Bella grumbled unhappily as she glared us both down. Alice and I simply smiled and leaned our heads against one another. "Come on, Bella! You only graduate once!" "Yeah, Izzy! We really want to make this something you'll always remember. We love you _that_ much!" "_Please_!" We begged at the same time. Bella turned away with a sigh. I threw a glare at Edward, nodding no discretely towards his girl. He rolled his eyes and turned to Bella, "They're never going to give up, Bella." She groaned, knowing full well that the statement was completely true. "Please?" We begged again, utilizing our cuteness to its fullest. Bella sighed in defeat.

"Yay!" Alice and I cheered as we hugged and bounced all around the living room. "Shopping!" We chirped happily. Bella groaned lowly. I snickered and stilled for a moment, "Don't worry, Izzy. We've got everything under control!" Alice pressed her cheek to mine and continued, "We're planning everything AND we're doing the decorating and shopping. All you need to worry about is getting here." "Yep, yep!" I chirped. "So that's why you both took your finals today," Bella mused. Edward showed no surprise. The little snoop probably read our minds.

"When do you leave?" Edward smirked, the entire question pointed at me. I stuck my tongue out at him. Alice answered, missing the snide-ness (or perhaps she was too happy to care), "We leave tonight!"

"Jared?"

"I promise to lock all of the doors and I won't to accept any big packages unless they are to go outside."

"And?"

"I'll handle all of the paperwork."

"Good. Jensen?"

…

"JENSEN!"

"SORRY!"

"Jensen?"

"Oh, right!"

"Yes?"

"I won't burn the building down."

"Ahem, _and_?"

"I won't put the closed sign out and insist we're not open while you're away."

"_And_?"

"And… I won't touch anything unless someone else is with me."

"Good."

"Are we clear, boys?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good."

* * *

"And you're going, again, why?"

"Shopping."

"And you're going alone, why?"

"I'm going with Alice."

"I'm letting you go because…?"

"You think I'm sexy."

"Not the point."

"So you think I'm sexy!" I beamed. Jasper glared, although any harshness was at a loss. He looked at a wall in what I knew well enough to be embarrassment. I rolled my eyes with my own sort of embarrassment and leaned into his chest. He instantly reacted by looping his arms around me. I smiled and snuggled close, gladly welcoming the icy chill to cool off the overwhelmingly heat my body consistently produced. "I'll miss you, of course," I announced with a warm smile. He glanced down, trying to hide a smile, "You better." I giggled and kissed his cheek.

I caught sight of the clock and frowned, "Time for girlfriend and manfriend to part." Jasper sighed in sync with me. "Call me every day?" I glanced up to see him to find him looking, again, at the wall with embarrassment. "The phone will be glued to my hand," I promised. He shifted his eyes to me and he smiled that Jasper smile that sent my stomach into summersaults and my heart leaping through my throat. Without a word, I pulled my cell phone out from my pocket and flipped it open. Once open, I pointed it towards a very curious Jasper. A click sounded from the phone. I surveyed the result and found it to my liking. Jasper peered over my shoulder to find his picture as my screensaver. He chuckled and kissed the top of my hair, then stood from the bed and held a hand out for me, like a true gentleman. "Shall we be off, my fair lady?" I reached out for the hand and allowed him to pull me up, "And they say chivalry is dead." He smirked, I blinked. "Oh." Well, I guess it really is dead. Oh, well. I shrugged and he escorted me by the arm out of the house and to his car, where he would then drive me to the airport to meet Alice.

* * *

"Alice! That looks amazing!"

"Me? Look at you!"

Alice swirled around in a circle. The silky material of the olive green dress fluttered in the air currents. Alice beamed, on an all-time high from shopping. "You're buying that," I gestured to her ensemble. There is _no_ way I'm letting her out of the store without buying something so perfect. Alice turned the attention on me, "Same to you. That dress was _made_ for you!" I cheered and twirled around, feeling the grandeur only a movie star could possess. The rare material of the floor length dress swirled lightly as I turned. Once making a full circle, I caught my image in the mirror and smiled at the effect of the contrasting blood red of the dress in comparison with my pale white skin. "I think I'll buy it," I agreed with Alice before she could say anything.

I couldn't help but laugh once we got to the cash register and got the receipt. Alice and I bought an unmentionable amount of clothing. I mean, yeah, we got our outfits for the party, but that was on the first day. After that, we started buying supplies, and well, one thing led to another and we ended up in this special, absolutely amazing shop Alice knew about and we started buying. _Lots_ of buying.

"Come on, Sky!" Alice called from the bright yellow sports car she had rented when we first arrived in Paris. I looked up to find her waiting patiently inside. I hurried my pace and tossed all of the shopping bags into the trunk alongside Alice's and jumped into the passenger seat. "Where to next?" I asked Alice. "Hm," she pondered aloud as she sped off into traffic and weaved with supernatural grace through the streets of Paris. "Shoes?" "Shoes it is."

* * *

"One hundred pounds!"

"Wow, we sure know how to shop."

"Let's keep this a secret."

"Agreed."

Alice and I pondered over the extra weight of our luggage and our new pact. We figured that if anyone at home found out how much we spent (which wasn't a problem; we're both filthy rich from being around for so long—it's the idea of spending so much that counts) and how much we bought, we'd probably be banned from ever shopping together again. Yeah, we're _that_ bad.

"That's our flight!" Alice gestured towards the lit board relaying that the red eye was ready for boarding. "Home," I sighed with relief. Don't get me wrong, I loved spending time with Alice! It was actually probably the most fun I'd had in centuries. But I missed home—my old friends, my new friends, my family… Jasper. Yeah, I'm obsessed, I know. I cop to it. I quickly sped up to catch up with Alice and we both drew closer and closer to the gate. I felt my heart float and flutter with the warming thoughts of home. I reached out to hand my ticket to the ticket taker, ensnared by blissful thoughts. The woman smiled and snatched the end of the ticket, but by then I couldn't hear the words she spoke. Soon, her frowning face began to blur. Then, everything went black.

_Jasper's Point of View_

I stared at the clock and tapped my foot impatiently. I twitched when the numbers changed again. She was late. Schuyler hadn't come back from Paris yet. She called well over twelve hours ago saying that she and Alice were getting on the Red Eye and that they would get back around noon. I glared daggers at the glowing numbers reading 1:05, but my glare faltered and turned to worry as my eyes slid from the time to my cell phone. No calls.

The roar of an engine was music to my ears. I instantly leapt from my bed and flew down the stairs. I reached the door in no time and threw it open. Alice's Ferrari wound up the curving driveway and pulled into the garage. I followed.

Alice got out from the driver's side. I waited for Sky to get out via the passenger door. She didn't. Alice popped the trunk open and started to pull out bags decorated with designer names and suitcases.

"Where's Schuyler?" I asked as I looked around, expecting her to pop out from somewhere and surprise me. She didn't. Alice pushed her sunglasses from the bridge of her nose to her head. She looked peeved… and worried. "Where's Schuyler, Alice?" I trained my eyes onto my best friend. She handed me a few bags and started for the door to the living room. "She's in Paris, I think." I gripped the bags tighter as I followed her up the stairs. "She didn't come back with you? _You think_?" Alice placed the bags on the floor of her room and twirled around to face me with an irritable frown, "She was supposed to." She passed me and headed back to the car to get the rest of the suitcases and bags (Geez, how much did they get?). "We were about to get on the plane when she changed her mind." My gut wrenched. "She said there was something she had to take care of before she came back." Stay? What could have happened to change her mind so abruptly?

Alice seemed to have read my thoughts and she stopped. She turned around to face me again. I felt a variety of emotion from the tiny girl—irritation, confusion, and worry. Alice frowned and her eyebrows furrowed, "I think she might have seen something, you know, in a vision. It didn't seem bad, though. She was quiet for a few minutes then she suddenly looked up. She was so confused. She babbled on for a few minutes, but I couldn't understand what she was saying. Then she told me that she was going to stay a little longer and that I should go ahead and start setting up for the party." Alice huffed, "She better not miss it."

Alice was irritated because she didn't know what was going on with her friend; she and I were also worried for the same reason. Something happened, I dreaded, but _what_? I heard a buzz, then a sound… music?

"Schuyler!" I rushed past Alice to my own room and leapt over the bed to snatch my cell phone off of the nightstand. "Schuyler?"

_Schuyler's Point of View_

"Jasper," I sighed once hearing his voice, "Sorry I didn't call." "Where are you?" His voice was rushed, urgent. "Did something happen? Is Bella okay?" I rushed, equally urgent. Please, I prayed, let her be okay! She wasn't attacked was she? The newborns hadn't attacked, had they? "What? Yeah, she's fine. Where are you? Are you alright?"

_Oh_, I blinked, _he was worried about _me. Wow, rush. "I'm fine. I just had some things I had to take care of. I was already over here, so I figured that I'd go ahead and get it out of the way." I glanced around the greenery as I leaned against an ancient stone building. "Where are you?" He asked; I could hear the aggravation in his voice. "In Europe," I slowly answered. My attention wavered past the busy streets and the bustling people to a sign that read, 'Welcome to Romania.' Hey, it's not lying. I _am_ in Europe. "What happened?" What happened? I thought back to the airport.

"_Miss?" I held out my ticket to the smiling woman, but stopped. Darkness melted my vision and soon I was sitting back and watching through another's eyes._

A vision. "I'm following a lead," I whispered, my voice falling. My hand moved of its own accord and rested over my left hip. My fingers traced over the fabric that hid four parallel lines, _scars_. "I'm not sure if it will help our cause or not," I continued as the thought of the outcome of the war rattled me, "But I'm willing to try anything."

Jasper was silent. "You can tell Alice that I'll be home Sunday night around midnight. Tell her I'll come straight over and help her with decorations and that I'm really sorry for leaving her to fly home by herself." I suddenly heard a bit of a struggle over the line and a snarl. Alice huffed at Jasper (who snarled) in victory, "You're forgiven!" She responded. I heard a smack. "I'll start on the decorations, but get here as soon as you can! This has to be perfect!" "I will so long as I get to give Bella our gift with you." Alice agreed. I heard another smack, then a few snarls and growls. "Alice, you might want to give Jasper the phone back," I muttered. "Shoo," I heard in the background. "Jasper?" "I'm here," he answered, no doubt irritated by Alice. "I'll call you back after I get some answers," I replied as I shifted from one foot to the other. "I really miss you," I added, a light blush setting my face aglow. "And I, you," he whispered back. "Bye, Jazz." "Goodbye."

I flipped the phone shut and stared out into the streets for the longest time before dislodging from the wall. I slipped the phone into my purse before spinning on the balls of my feet to face my destination—an old pub. I opened the doors and waltzed right in.

I strutted through the dimly lit tavern and stopped at the bar. The bartender spared me one glance, and then did a double take. A conniving smile graced his lips as he leaned forward on his elbows. "Can I help you?" He asked in a heavily accented voice. The man was pale white. When he smiled, he flashed his pearly white teeth. His eyes, to a human, were impossible to see in such lighting. To an immortal, they were clearly blood red. I didn't smile back, "Greyback. Ulric Greyback." The smile was wiped instantly from his face. "_Greyback_," he sneered in distaste. I nodded. He eyed me up and down in disbelief, "Who are you?" "An old acquaintance," I replied flatly. The man stood erect and waved his hand. His smile returned, "I don't know who you are, Miss, but you're barking up the wrong tree." The pub by then had fallen silent. Every occupant, either cloaked by cloth or hidden in shadow, stilled. Three men, all cloaked, arose from their seats and slowly dredged forward.

I rolled my eyes. The guy came out from behind the bar and drew closer. I flinched at how close. He saw the reaction and chuckled, "You picked the wrong place to walk into." He got even closer and reached out a hand towards my face.

And that's when I decked him.

"Dirtbag," I muttered, glaring at him as he moaned and snarled while holding his broken face. The room grew incredibly tense.

The silence was broken by the sound of clapping. "I see you haven't lost your touch," a man laughed. I zoned in on the voice to find him sitting in the darkest corner of the room. I stepped over the fallen vampire and walked to the table. "I assume you haven't come to simply say hello to an old acquaintance, correct?" I glared. He chuckled, "It's too crowded in here. Let's take this to another room." The man stood from his table and held his arm out for me. "Shall we?" He smiled. Despite the darkness, I could easily make out his bright white teeth. I accepted his arm. "Good," he chuckled and patted my arm. We exited the room quickly and settled for another, well out of ear shot.

I sat down at the table in the empty room. Greyback sat across from me. "Forgive me," he chuckled as he lit the oil lamp on the table, "The Volturi have been searching to no end for me. It's hard to tell who's on whose side these days." Once lit, the fire from the lamp illuminated his features. "As beautiful as ever, I see," he grinned causing the great scar that marred his handsome face to twinge, "Mrs. Von Curen." "Miss," I corrected the immortal man. He smiled, "Miss Von Curen." "It's been awhile, Ulric." He scoffed as he drank from the mug he'd brought with him, "It's been 150 years, Schuyler. I think that defies 'awhile'."

I smiled and leaned my cheek on my hand as I rested my elbow on the table. Ah, Ulric—another chapter in my life. Ulric hadn't changed much over the years. He was still dazzling, looking to be in his early 20s, and drop-dead gorgeous. Ulric had short light blonde hair that curled at the ends and had the brightest blue eyes I'd ever seen in my entire existence. And upon his face was his trademark, a long white scar reaching from his right eyebrow over his eye and down his neck (and ending at the last rib). In a quick summary, he was absolutely stunning from head to toe.

"So," he went straight to the point, "Whatcha need? Fire power? Secrets? Back-up? A _map_?" "Ha, ha," I laughed dryly. He's never going to forget that, is he? "I got lost once!" I insisted with a puff of the cheek and a scowl of a cranky woman who hadn't slept in days. "Schuyler, I love you. I really do," he insisted, his eyes lighting up in excitement, "but your sense of direction is atrocious." "Okay, I took a wrong turn," I shrugged animatedly, "Big deal." He laughed, "Yeah, a wrong turn off a cliff." Okay, so my sense of direction was terrible. So sue me.

"Not the point," I returned to the reason I was there. I stared straight into my oldest ally's eyes, "Ulric, I need you to do me a big favor." "Anything for you, love," he nodded.

"Tell me everything you know about werewolves."

* * *

"You're back," Edward muttered as he opened the door. "Yay," he muttered ever so enthusiastically as he walked away. I bounced up to him and jumped onto his back, "Aw, you missed me! Admit it!" He groaned, "I knew I should have called the airport." "Why?" I questioned as I wrapped my arms around his neck like a monkey. "To tell them you were a terrorist. That would have delayed you for _days_." "Somebody's a sourpuss," I frowned as I glanced at his face from behind. He huffed and rolled his eyes, "You're way too peppy." "Aw," I gushed just to annoy him, "I knew you liked me!" He groaned again, "JASPER!"

Immediately, the blonde flew down the staircase and appeared before us. "Ha, ha," Edward spoke flatly, "Joke's over. Get her off." Jasper raised an eyebrow at our position—me hanging off of a gloomy Edward like a little gorilla. Deciding enough was enough, Jasper swiftly appeared next to Edward and pried me off. "Hello," I smiled to him bashfully. Jasper tossed me upward to catch me in his arms bridle style. He said nothing, but held me close. Edward covered his eyes mockingly, "Get a room." "Will do," Jasper chuckled. With that said, he swept up the stairs.

"So," Jasper smirked as he plopped backwards onto the bed, "How was your trip?" "Great," I said as I bounced on his chest from the movement. "And the decorations?" He added, gesturing out the window where we had spent quite a while putting up decorations (Alice took everything inside; Jasper and I decorated outside). "Complete!" I chirped as I snuggled into his chest. "The food," I stopped to yawn, "is made and ready." Jasper shifted me further upwards so that I could rest my head under his chin. "Tired?" He asked as he pulled the blanket over us both. "A bit," I mumbled as I snuggled closer into the icy goodness. "Sleep," he whispered as his hand brushed up and down my spine in a soothing manner. My eyes drifted close, "M'kay… just… a little while." The last thing I remembered before sleep overtook me was his kiss upon my head.


	26. Chapter 23 Party

_**Note: **_Sky's party appearance can be found by typing into google "Alexis Bledel yellow dress." It's the one where she has straight hair flipped at the ends. And now, the moment you've all been waiting for…

_**Disclaimer: **_Twilight isn't mine. If it was…well, the fourth book would end quite a bit differently…Speaking of which, there is a sequel to this story that I've been working on that covers the fourth book and it does, indeed, have a big ol' twist in it. If you thought this story was getting nutty, wait to you read that!

**Chapter 23**

_To Say Those Three Words_

"Wow."

"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to open the door?"

"Hey, what's going on—WOW."

"I hate you both."

"SKY!"

"Finally," I rolled my eyes and pushed past the two buffoons, "Someone who _doesn't_ drool." I used my knee to help steady the boxes in my hands before proceeding past the two bumbling idiots (also known as Mike Newton and Emmett Cullen) towards the buffet. Alice helped out by grabbing a few boxes and helping me push past our graduated classmates. Ah, graduation. No more school. It's music to my ears. In fact, I think I'll write a song.

"Lor! It's about time!" Jared and Jensen met us at the table and took the boxes off our hands. "I can't believe they've eaten so much!" Jared muttered as he started to unpack cartons of food as Jensen set them out on dishes. "No one's dancing," I frowned as I surveyed the room. The music was bumping, the decorations were awesome, and the Cullen's living room had been transformed into a dance floor, yet not one teenager was dancing. I looked closer at the occupants of the room. I recognized several of my classmates and frowned when I noticed that each and every one was standing awkwardly in their group of friends, completely unsure of what to do. The Cullens weren't any better. Bella and Edward were practically glued together (return of Edward the worry wart) and were bouncing from one group to another. Emmett (after leaving Mike Newton at the door) and Rosalie were talking in hushed whispers in a corner. Emmett had a big grin on his face and Rosalie bore a scowl. Esme and Carlisle were walking about arm-in-arm as if on a stroll and were mingling with a clump of parents in another corner. Jasper was nowhere to be seen; at this point, I could only assume he was waiting upstairs until the crowd thinned out.

"I won't stand for this," I frowned, already finding myself swaying to the beat of a popular pop song. I looked around the room again and nearly jumped out of my skin when I found two eyes—one green, one blue—staring back at me. _My reflection_, I sighed in relief as I covered my racing heart with a gloved hand. Since when was there a mirror in here? I looked closer at my reflection in the floor length mirror and chuckled.

I look so different, I beamed, and all for a certain someone. My hair, for once, was straightened and flipped at the edges. My bangs were puffed slightly and brushed to one side. And as I had decided in Paris, I set my appearance towards contrast. My eyes were bright, almost glowing in excitement, set against my milky white skin. To further utilize contrast, I had applied black eyeliner, light eye shadow, and ruby red lipstick. And my apparel? I chose a simple, yet effective knee-length yellow dress and light blue heels. Judging from all of the remarks I'd gotten so far, I assumed that my goal—to stand out and knock 'em dead—had been achieved.

Turning my attention back to the attention at hand, the frown on my lips deepened as my hands found their way to my hips. "This simply will not do," I shook my head in disappointment. Catching my drift, Jensen held out his hand, "Shall we?" "We shall," I smiled with a giggle and a wink. Alice stood close to Jared's side and watched with wide-eyed wonder. "What are they doing?" Alice asked Jared as he offered her his arm. She gladly took hold of it as he whispered back with an amused smirk, "Watch."

"Try and keep up," I mocked my beloved brother as we walked hand in hand onto the dance floor accompanied by the ever curious eyes. We stood opposite each other and waited for another song to start. A jazzy, neo-soul single by Fitz & The Tantrums began to play. Instantly, our bodies found the rhythm and the dance moves poured in from there; a twist, a twirl, a dip, a throw. Closely followed by parading around the room with laughter; another twirl, a shake, a pattern of feet.

We'd succeed in catching attention.

"Time to go!" I laughed as I twirled away from a bemused Jensen and into the crowd. "Come on!" I cheered as I grabbed the hands of two bashful boys whilst Jensen wooed an entire cluster of infatuated teenage girls. Jared chuckled and shook his head at the method. Figuring his family would drag him in anyway, he turned to Alice. "May I have this dance?" Jared blushed as he held a hand out to Alice. Alice, if human would have surely blushed, happily accepted and the two swept onto the floor like a summer breeze. "Come on, dance!" I beamed to another lot—Mike Newton and Tyler. Mike had a stupid grin and eagerly accepted and Tyler, who was taken off guard by my appearance, could not refuse. I pulled them into the crowd and got them going. Then, once they were absorbed in the music, I weaved through the crowd and out of sight.

"Mission accomplished," I muttered to myself as I stood on the steps of the staircase to look upon my work with appreciation. My eyes skimmed over every face and my ears picked up every voice… all except for one. My smile fell when I realized what the missing piece was—Jasper. I wanted to go find him, if only to steal a single glance. It just isn't a good party unless Jasper shows up.

"Stunning…" The words, laced deeply with the tone of the south, were like chimes in the wind to my ears. I turned to find the origin of the heavenly sound to my left, and there he was in all of his blazing glory. "You look absolutely ravishing," he smiled, his eyes golden brown and alight with awe. I felt a light burning in my face at the comment, "You look quite enticing yourself." He really did look nice; he wore a nice pair of black slacks and a black button-up shirt. In fact, the garments made him sharp and all the more surreal. Drool… "I do believe that this is our song," he announced as his grin widened its reach from ear to ear. I snapped out of my ogling and listened. He was right. "So Far Away" by Staind was just starting and each starting chord was like an individual pull at my heart's strings. Like a puppeteer, Jasper asked for my hand, "May I have this dance?" As if he had to ask. "I could imagine nothing but," I replied as I accepted his hand. With unrivaled grace, we swept down the staircase and flittered across the hardwood floors dancing to our own beat.

As the song drew to a close, Jasper led me towards the least crowded part of the living room—a shadowed corner near the stairs. Even as the song ended and a new one began, we continued swaying in each other's arms in perfect harmony. The moment, I thought, was perfect, something to always cherish. I looked deeply into his golden eyes and found so much inside; adoration, belief, bliss… love. My eyes were no doubt the same. My heart sang to me with the intensity of a thousand angels and I felt my spirit float higher and higher, now reaching the acclaimed cloud nine. I've never been so happy; I thought as I gazed into gold, I've never been so much in love.

"I love you."

…

…

Did I…?

I did.

Oh, fiddlesticks.

My eyes widened and my hand flew from around his neck to clamp my stupid mouth shut. _I can't believe I said that out loud!_ I withdrew my other arm from under his arm and stepped back. I looked around to every person, to every person but the one who stood in astonishment before me. No one looked back. Instinct, like it had many times, took over. My feet, of their own accord, continued a brisk pace backward. Tiring after a few steps, I turned with full intention to run. Where? I wasn't sure, so long as it wasn't here. _I'm so stupid_, I yelled at myself as I turned away. _Love_? What do _I_, of all people, know of _love_? I know that I know nothing.

"Wait." An icy cold vice gripped my wrist. I didn't dare turn to face him. "_**Zijn spijt**_," I whispered softly, my heart racing and breaking all at once. It took me a moment to realize that I hadn't spoken in English; I had the nasty habit of switching over to Dutch when I was either terrified or really excited. This was a definite case of terror. I gulped and attempted again to apologize, and hopefully this time in English.

"_**Niet**_," he responded strongly. No? _**No?**_ No, _what_? The terror was quickly replaced by confusion and curiosity. Jasper, as I was now coming to learn, was quite fluent in Dutch. "_**Ik hou van je**_," he whispered and pulled me by the wrist to face him. I stared into his brightened eyes in wonder. He loved me? _Me?_

"Are you sure?" I blurted out. He gave me a bewildered look, "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it." Again, like a broken record, I repeated, "Are you really, _really _sure?" He rolled his eyes to stare at an opposite wall, a sure sign of embarrassment, "Yes." I opened my mouth again to blurt some other stupid remark when he saved me…

By grabbing hold of my waist and twirling me around into a dip…

And kissing me…

In front of _everyone_.

To hell with everyone else! I smiled into the kiss as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Because, I'm in love! Yeah, I admit it. The kiss felt like infinite words, unspeakable feelings all poured out from one soul into the next. Then, the oddest thing happened when we parted. I felt a light shock. When Jasper swung me back to a straight standing position, I found him staring in even greater wonder. In that instant I knew something, other than our confessions, had happened.

"What is it?" I asked as I grabbed hold of his hands. "You're worried," he mumbled as he stared into space and squeezed my hands. Huh? Yeah, I'm worried he's lost his mind. "And happy," he continued, "Scared, overwhelmed, and so very much in love." Okay, two words. Fortune cookie? "Yes," I confirmed with a slight nod, having not even a faint idea of where he was going. "I can feel it," he muttered, again astounded. Huh? My eyebrows furrowed. Feel? As in ability feel? "I thought your ability didn't work on me?" I retorted. "It didn't," he answered in response. He suddenly broke into a smile, "But not to worry_. _We have all of time to ponder the event. Tonight, however, comes only once." I smiled back, "Jasper, will you dance with me?" He leaned down and kissed me with renewed vigor. I kissed back with all intensity and leaned as far forward as my tippy toes would allow. Once we parted, he led me onto the dance floor.

_Jasper's Point of View_

She loved me. _A lot_. I could tell by the pulsing waves of emotion that emanated from her. It hit me with the force of a brick wall every time and shot me past cloud nine and straight into heaven. How could one so beautiful, I wondered as I danced with the ninth world wonder, so amazing, have fallen in love with me? Surely, God has made a mistake. An amazing mistake that I would gladly trade anything and everything in the world to keep, _my_ Schuyler.

"You're kidding!" "I can't believe a Cullen snagged her!" "She's really taken?" "Bummer." "Why's he with _her_?" "No way! How'd _she_ get _him_?" I laughed. All of the humans were as baffled as we were. How _did_ this happen? I sure as hell didn't know and neither did Schuyler. And, quite frankly, we didn't care. We were here, together, and we wanted it to stay that way.

"What are you laughing at?" Schuyler asked, a giant grin never leaving her face. "Nothing," I answered back with a shrug. I picked up her hands with my own and spun her around. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Alice in a corner of the room with a blank stare upon her face; a vision. I ceased all motion. Sky, noticing me stilled, slowed as well and tried to find the object of my attention. "I'll be right back," I whispered before planting a soft kiss upon her forehead. She was confused, but let me go with a nod. As I walked towards the corner Alice was frozen in, I turned back to see Sky catch Emmett in the middle of the crowd and they started to dance. I quickly hurried over to Alice.

_Schuyler's Point of View_

"I don't care what my brother says, you owe me a dance," Emmett chuckled as he spun me in a circle at the end of the song. "Sure, Big Bear," I chuckled and slapped his chest. In turn, he ruffled my hair with an evil chuckle and ran off before I could throw something at him. Sneaky vampire.

_Ding-dong_. Isn't it sort of late for people to still be arriving? I wondered, but went to answer the door anyway, seeing as I was so close. Imagine my surprise when I found three giant free-loading wolves on the other side.

"I think you have the wrong house," I announced flatly. Their radar must be broken; this was the Cullen's, their immortal enemies, house. Is this even allowed? Jacob, who looked the most confident (by miles) in comparison to the other boys, who were looking around in paranoia as if they were walking into a haunted crypt, squinted, "Is that you, old hag?" I huffed for a second but didn't lose my smile; I was far too happy and nothing, be it natural or supernatural, could change that at the moment. "Funny, Junior. What'll be even funnier is the house's owners reaction to you setting foot on their property. Hilarious!" Jacob smirked smugly, "We were invited." What? Who would invite them—Oh, wait. "Bella," we said at the same time.

"Well," I shrugged, "In that case, come on in." They followed my advice and stepped inside, although they were uncomfortable. Quil and Embry were more reluctant; I could easily tell that the two didn't want to be here. Embry showed clear proof of that, I chuckled as I spotted his trembling hand still attached to the doorknob. "Where's-" "Izzy?" I cut him off as I shrugged, "She tends to be a magnet for trouble, so we'll probably run into her any minute now-" "Hey, Bella!" "See?"

Bella turned and spotted the three. Jacob lifted a hand to wave her down. In response, Bella waved back… then turned around and high-tailed it through the crowd. "Rejected!" I sang amusedly as I faced the dog with a quirky smile. He snarled under his breath and swept away through the crowd after Bella. He intercepted her somewhere in the crowd and whisked her by the wrist into the shadowy kitchen. Once inside, they began a bit of a squabble. "To spy or not to spy," I tapped my cheek in thought. "What do you guys think?" I flashed my smile to them. I tried not to giggle when they were caught off guard. Both of their faces turned blood red. "Spy!" Quil blurted out. Embry threw him a glare, although the intensity of the blood flow to his faced numbed the threat down. "Spy, it is," I smirked as I grabbed hold of both their hands and pulled them through the crowd. I have to admit, I liked their style. They both danced alongside me through the crowd, making us completely unnoticed as we reached the kitchen.

We walked in just as the storm had cleared and the two were on better terms. Phooey. There goes my entertainment for the evening. "Awe," I cooed as I linked my arms with the other two werewolves (hey, they didn't seem to mind), "Junior got Izzy a present!" Both Bella and Jacob turned to give me the dirtiest look they could muster. I smiled innocently and shrugged. Jacob sighed and dropped small multi-colored bag into Bella's waiting hands. "Hey, that's pretty, Jake. Thanks!" "The present is _inside_, Bella." "Oh."

Bella and I gaped at the gift. "It's beautiful," she whispered as she ran her fingers over the small wooden trinket, a wooden carving of a wolf attached to a silver bracelet. "I really need to invest in patents," I frowned as I drew the blue and green wrap from my hair for inspection. My fingers caressed the precious treasure, the wooden carving of a wolf. "You _made_ this?" She looked up in amazement, "How?" Jacob threw me a weary glance and his eyes locked on the miniature wolf in my hand, "It's something Billy taught me. He's better at it than I am." They exchanged a few compliments that set Jacob on an all time high. Jacob helped put the bracelet onto Bella's wrist. To say in the least, her attention quickly went elsewhere.

"Why are you so distracted?" I wondered about that too. Maybe she had seen that Alice had a vision? My interest peaked. Jacob's suspicion grew, "Something's going on, isn't it?" Bella and Jacob continued at their game; Jacob asking questions and Bella denying. Finally, Bella spilled the beans; she admitted to looking for Alice. "The psychic saw something," he realized, eyes wide. I frowned, _cat's out of the bag_. Bella continued to pass out the hints, however tiny they were. They knew something big was going down. Quil and Embry unraveled their arms from mine and drifted over to either side of Jacob. "I don't know anything," Bella insisted, although her lies were easily discovered. Poor girl can't lie for her life. The trio folded their arms over their chests at the same time.

That did it.

I burst into a giggle fit. Jacob's eyebrow twitched in irritation, but he didn't look away. I wanted to help Bella, I really did. But instead, I collapsed onto the floor behind the island, still giggling like crazy. Oh, dear wolves, to whom shall I compare thee? Shall I compare thee to the three stooges? The three amigos? LFO, or any other boy band for that matter? Ah, the possibilities are endless.

"Alice!" The squeak was enough to bring me back. In a flash, I was right between the spiky haired girl and the only human in the kitchen. All three wolves leaped back in surprise. "Good God, woman!" Jacob seethed as he clenched his heart. The other two didn't look any better. I sneered, "Not human." He glared.

"I need to talk to you, both of you," Alice whispered, eyeing us, then the wolves. "Er, Jake, I'll see you later," Bella mumbled as she, Alice, and I eased around them. Jacob threw his arm out to block us, his hand nearly hitting my face, "_**Why so fast, songbird**__?_" I froze. Those words… they came from Jacob's mouth, but it wasn't his voice, his words. My heart stopped beating and I couldn't breathe. "_**You're not thinking of leaving, are you?**_" _His_ laugh echoed throughout the room. My head snapped back and forth and my eyes darted from every crook to every nanny. Before my eyes, the room began to darken as if a black fog was rolling into the room. The voices, my friend's voices, melted into nothing and I was left alone in deafening silence.

The silence, however, did not last.

After what seemed like hours without sense, I heard a distinct, yet far away, hushed, sound. The sound was like a melodic call to all, to all who felt its cry.

The sound, I realized as it grew louder, drew closer, was a wolf.

_His laughter outweighed the call of the wolf. Soon, in the peering darkness, I came face to face with those eyes. The once green acidic orbs, now blood red were wild with rage and overtaken by insanity. I saw so much in those terrifying eyes. I saw hate, lust, envy, insanity… murder. _

_The boy from my other visions returned. This time, he had a look of awed distraught. I could clearly see his face, the disbelief and pain were evident. He, I thought as I struggled to look closer, looked a man who had done the most terrible of things. He closely resembled the soldiers, my comrades, from the past. Guilt…that was the look. He had an overwhelming feel of sadness and guilt. Then, with trembling hands, the orange eyed boy lifted a cell phone to his ear. He talked quickly, so fast that I could only make out one word, "help". _

_Water._

_Deep, dark water._

_I was floating mindlessly, lost in its peaceful currents._

_My lungs burned with an intensity that could only be compared to that of fire…_

_My heart's beat slowed, faltered…_

_My head swam with thoughts, promises, faces…_

_I fell farther and farther…_

_Until I couldn't feel anymore._

_My mind silenced…_

_My body fell lax…_

_My heart gave one last thump…_

_Then it was only the rolling waves…_

_Just the waves…_

_The rhythmic melody lulled me to heaviest of all sleeps… _

_The battle had begun._

_My beloved family fought alongside the greatest of beasts, the wolves of legend. I saw each of their battle torn faces, I heard their cries. My heart, even in this dream, tugged and tore at the thought of even one injured. I looked around, for surely, surely I would be fighting alongside them, protecting them from every unspeakable evil. Where was I?_

_In the chaos, I heard a cry and then, the shattering of bones._

_Who was hurt?_

_Who wouldn't come home?_

_I felt the tears cascading down my face as I looked frantically around the battlefield. _

_Where was I!_

_Why wasn't I protecting them!_

_Why, God?_

_Why wasn't I there!_

_The faceless girl, again._

_I saw her for but a second. _

_She, too, had tears running down her porcelain face. She had the air of a woman who had lived, who had loved, who had room, still, to grow…_

_She stood in the center of a meadow underneath a willow with a frown. A small breeze blew by; the winds tickled the wildflowers and billowed the bottom of her light-colored dress. Then, like the clouds parting after a storm, she smiled, a smile that believed that life was worth living for._

_Then, a paradox._

_Her lavender dress became crimson, soaked through with her own blood. Bruises of every color appeared and decorated her milky skin. At several points, her skin began to rip like fabric at a seam. Pain laced her every being as she was thrust into the terrors of reality. Yet, despite the atrocious occurrences that racked her body and make it tremble…her smile never broke, the fire of her spirit never extinguished, and her heart refused to give way._

_By now the howl of the wolf had grown to enormous proportions. Its cry also changed; instead of pain, it rejoiced with freedom. I saw the bright silver of its fur; I heard the racing of its paws on mother earth's surfaces. I heard it's heart twitter and flutter like a hummingbird in the summer. Then, a bright flash of light. Warmth, love, affection, freedom… all embraced me alongside the light and I felt like I truly belonged. In the midst of the phenomena, I caught sight of a flash of movement. Time seemed to slow as I turned and caught sight. It was a songbird. A songbird flying free into the shadow of the sun._

I blinked and gasped.

I blinked again.

My eyes were met by two worrisome gold ones. "Jasper?" I whispered, my eyebrows furrowing, "When'd you get here?" I looked around in a daze. I was in the kitchen, but there were no werewolves, no humans, no vampires; just Jasper. I pointed lamely at the space where everyone had just been standing and gaped, struggling for words to describe the situation. "Houdini?" Ifrowned as I scratched my head in confusion. "What happened?" I whispered to my lover.

Jasper sighed with relief and leaned his icy forehead against the top of my skull. He answered calmly, "Alice and the dog created an alliance. They agreed to fight alongside us against the army. They're going to meet us tonight to learn how to fight them." I gaped. My vision… I thought of all the faces, the truly kind wolves I'd met at the bonfire. I'd grown quite fond of them, even if it'd been a short while. I liked Jacob, even if I acted as if I didn't; I loved Billy, hands down; I really liked the youngest member of the pack, Seth (he's adorable!); Quil, Embry, Paul, and Jared weren't bad either. The echoed cry of the broken wolf rang in my ears. My heart sunk. Who would it be?

"I'll help." It was a declaration. Jasper frowned, "Why? We have an even number now. You're not fighting." My eyebrow twitched. I took a deep breath, "The hell I'm not!" Jasper closed his eyes in irritation, "You bleed, Schuyler. The newborns, hell, maybe even I, will come after you. You may be willing to risk the chance, but I'm not."I frowned and puffed my cheeks in anger, "Then I guess I'm going to have to make sure that I don't get hit." I huffed and stalked off, "I've had my share of wars, thank-you. I appreciate the sentiment, but it's not needed." Jasper growled, "Stubborn woman." "Stubborn man," I retorted. He glared, if only slightly.


	27. Chapter 24 Beautifully Broken

**Chapter 24**

_Beautifully Broken_

_**Part I **_

_Learn_

"Did I miss anything?"

"No—would you stop bouncing—he just started."

"Yippie!"

"Stop that!"

"Joy-kill."

"Squirt."

"That hurt, Edward."

"Shh!"

I glared at him for as long as my mood would allow, which honestly wasn't very long, before bouncing once more with anticipation. After changing out of my dress into a pair of jeans and a slim fitting Linkin Park t-shirt, I sped my way here. Now, I was gazing in pure amazement at the tree line. "Crazy, huh?" Emmett boomed in laughter as he clapped my back. I flinched at the sound of the thud it caused. "I've never seen so many before," Jensen mumbled, a bit unnerved. "I don't think there's ever _been_ this many," Jared chuckled with a slight twinge of hysteria, "Good thing they're on our side." I nodded dumbly as I recounted. Jacob had mentioned the unbelievable number, but I had taken it as just that—unbelievable. You can see how wrong _I_ was.

Jasper was giving us pointers about newborns and how not to get killed while dealing with them. I listened closely to find he was discussing Alice's particular tactics. "What'd I miss?" I repeated. Alice and Bella strolled up to me; Bella answered for me, "Jasper fought with Alice and Emmett." The look in her eyes told me she didn't like this; she couldn't stand to fight. I felt a pang in my heart; the thought of any of them fighting for their lives…

"I will protect them," I spoke genuinely, catching her brown eyes and conveying to her the true state of my heart. "With everything I have." _With my dying breath, _I vowed silently. With my hands still gloved (I can't zap anyone unless it's skin on skin contact), I grabbed hers and told the intensity with my whole heart, "I _promise_."

Something in her eyes told me that she trusted me. Her grip on my hand relaxed along with the rest of her body, telling me that my words had lessened her worries. But, that only lasted a second, "You're fighting!" "Yes!" I nodded, my energy returning full blast after a minute of serious contemplations. She cast me a weary look before making her decision, "No! You'll get hurt." "Pish posh," I shrugged with the wave of a hand, "I may look teeny, but I kick some major ass."

By the end of our conversation (strategically timed so she wouldn't have to watch Edward fight), Jasper was ready for another sparring partner, "Who's next?" "Oo! ME! PICK ME! ME!" I leaped up in down, cheerfully ready to fight. Jasper grimaced, and then smirked. Not a good sign. Regardless, I ran across the field and appeared before him faster than lightning. Of course, I waved to my werewolves buddies on my way.

I moved into a position similar to Jasper's. I crouched low to the ground and hunched forward slightly like an animal setting its eyes on its prey. I stared up to Jasper and smirked. Jasper's smirk widened, "How about a bet?" "A bet?" I repeated in confusion, weary. What could he possibly have to bet on? I frowned. Jasper was notorious for his bets, so this probably wouldn't turn in my favor. "I'm listening," I replied, interested. "If I beat you," he chuckled as if it were inevitable, "You don't fight." My smirk fell flat. Not fight? What the hell kind of bet is this? "And if I win?" He shrugged into a tighter, fiercer position, "You fight. I won't get in your way or try to stop you." Tempting, _very_ tempting. I considered the offer. Knowing Jasper, he probably wouldn't let Alice tell me when the army was coming, then slash my tires so I couldn't get to the fight once I'd realized it had started. Jasper was a sneaky one alright. But this offer was too nice to resist…

"Deal," I smirked. He chuckled, his eyes dazed with a dozen plans of strategy. "On your mark," I began, drilling my nails into the dirt with anticipation. "Get set," He added, pulling back onto his haunches. "GO!" We yelled at once.

_ Edward's Point of View _

"Stop this!"

"Shh, Bella," I tried very hard to hide my smile as Jasper and Schuyler faced each other and were pondering over a bet that Jasper suggested. I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. "Jasper is desperately in love with Schuyler; he would never hurt her. The same goes for Schuyler." My smirk widened, "The fight, however, will be interesting. You would think so, too, if you could hear them. Jasper, as well as the rest of us, has never seen Schuyler fight." I chuckled and Bella glared, "How is this funny?" "What's funny," I began, as my eyes drifted to the two as they began the count down, "Is that Jasper plans ahead and comes up with strategies for everything. Schuyler, however, is _terrible_ at making plans, so she makes everything up as she goes. Even reading her mind wouldn't be much of a help."

Emmett, before the fight could start, called out, "Five-hundred on Jasper!" Jensen jumped right into the ring, "Sky's a bit rusty. I think I'm betting on the soldier." "Jasper," Alice frowned in irritation, "I can't see anything! But I'm betting on Jasper." Alice seemed unsure, for once. Esme stayed out of the bet and watched her two children, both ready to duke it out.

"Schuyler," Rosalie piped up. Everyone turned to the beautiful, prideful blonde, stunned, speechless. "Schuyler," she insisted with a nod. 'Wow,' I thought in amazement, 'What did Schuyler do to get Rosalie of all people to root for her, especially when no one else would?' I kept the thought in mind and decided to figure it out later. "Tie," I declared. It was the safest bet; both were mirrored flaw by flaw. "Schuyler," Carlisle remarked thoughtfully. He smiled, his eyes clearly flashing as if hiding some piece of information that no one else knew, "Schuyler, hands down." I frowned at how sure he was. My frown deepened when even his thoughts gave no indication as to the reason he felt so strongly.

"GO!"

I suppose we're about to find out.

Schuyler moved like a cat, I thought as I watched her maneuver around in a circle, mirroring every move Jasper made. Both stared each other down, neither daring to make the first move. Jasper moved roughly, like a panther perhaps, and quickly; his movements were well calculated and thought out. Schuyler, however, was the complete opposite. She moved with the grace of a dancer, much like Alice, and she acted purely on instinct, in some ways like a newborn, yet differently because the actions were controlled.

Finally, Schuyler grew bored and restless with waiting and darted across the distance in no time flat. Jasper, knowing Schuyler's impatience firsthand, expected as much. My brother's smirk grew and he lunged at an angle, aiming to clip her side. From reading his mind, I found that he already believed that he had won. What happened next surprised everyone.

With a loud giggle, Schuyler shifted all of her weight onto the side Jasper was aiming for… and sprung like a coil off of the ground. Once in the air, she twisted her entire body over his head. Jasper was completely taken off guard, but due to years of experience, he managed to avoid her when she hit the ground behind him and launched into a turn like a heat-seeking missile shooting straight towards him. He narrowly escaped. With that single wild maneuver, my image of Schuyler began to change. She was agile like a cat, I thought, but her offense reminded me of… a wolf? At the thought, my eyes shifted to the hair wrap that twisted in her long brown locks.

The next move was all Schuyler. She had no plan, I chuckled, other than to take Jasper down. Determined, she decided to depend on an odd series of moves.

Once Jasper was facing her completely, now highly on guard, she leaped forward onto all fours and swept across the field so fast that even I almost missed it. Her speed caught Jasper by surprise, but he braced for anything she could throw at him. And he succeeded. Sky attempted to feint a direction, then twirled around to slam her shoulder into his stomach, but he dodged and retaliated by moving behind her and catching her arm. Jasper used her surprise to his advantage and managed to toss her towards the ground.

Schuyler wouldn't have that.

Before she even landed, Schuyler twisted around so when she touched the ground, she landed in a sliding handstand. From there, she pushed of the ground and catapulted into a back handspring. She sprung back a few feet and bounced up straight into the air. She landed softly onto her feet and smirked tauntingly, "That was a nice warm up. How about a real fight?" Jasper frowned and watched her closely. "No holding back, alright?" I frowned, too, once I heard their thoughts. They _both_ were holding back. "All out?" She suggested, "One last hit?" Jasper didn't answer. Instead, he used his actions.

Jasper used every ounce of his speed to race towards Schuyler; she did the very same. The two met at the center and crashed into one another with one last, giant leap that resulted in a great BOOM. Jasper had the upper hand and knocked Schuyler onto her back. It seemed like a victory; Schuyler had been pinned.

But Schuyler had one last trick.

Although she was pinned down underneath Jasper, she had one last idea. Schuyler wrapped both of her legs around Jasper's waist, and with one great heave, she managed to turn the tables by switching places by flipping them into a somersault. In no time, she had _him_ pinned down. With a great big smile, she leaned down and kissed his throat. I heard a few of the wolves growl in distaste. I rolled my eyes. Looks like I lost.

_Schuyler's Point of View_

"I win!"

I leaned down and hugged Jasper around the neck and rained kisses all over his face. Jasper groaned once he finally moved. His arms lifted to wrap loosely around my waist. "You're not supposed to kiss the enemy," he replied flatly. "Does that rule count when the enemy's my man-friend?" I asked, eyes wide with wonder. He sighed. In a flash, he hoisted me up as he stood. I probably resembled a monkey; a monkey hanging onto the most beautiful man in the world with my arms wrapped around his neck and legs wrapped around his waist. "So troublesome," he rolled his eyes, a tiny smile threatening to grace his face. I chuckled as he unraveled my legs and held me bridal style. "But you still love me," I beamed as I kissed his throat. He smiled lightly and looked at me as he walked back to our family, "Yes. That I do. Now try not to cause any trouble, little monkey." "No promises," I chuckled as he put me down. "Fine," he smirked, "_Attempt_ to be good." "Attempt?" I thought on that, "I can _try_." "Good," he mumbled as he turned. I caught his hand. He turned with an arched eyebrow. I stared at him expectantly. He looked away in embarrassment. "Come here," he whispered lowly, opening his arms out. I chuckled contently and hugged him tightly around the waist. He hugged me back, and then growled at the trio of chuckling Emmetts, "Is there a problem?" They walked away.

After that, Jasper went back to instructing, although a few of the werewolves were a bit distraught about me—what I was and why I was making out with a vampire in the middle of a field. I watched closely, picking up every ounce of information and analyzing every move. During the time, I also watched Bella closely; she was terrified. As I looked around, I realized another thing. Deep down, past all of the laughter, past all of the smiles and jokes… everyone was. Everyone had come to the same conclusion of 'what if'. What if we won, but that victory came at a cost? Would it be a cost we would be willing to pay?

No, I thought, not one of us could pay such a steep price.

This time, I made a promise to myself.

I promised that this family, all of our loved ones would come home.

I recalled the crying wolf.

All of them.


	28. Chapter 24 Beautifully Broken, Part 2

_**Warning: **_This chapter, "Monster," has a great deal of violent domestic abuse. If this in anyway disturbs you, stop reading at the bold words **"Miss me?" **and continue at the bold line "**But that wasn't comforting." **This chapter is meant to give the readers a glimpse into Schuyler's past life with Gabriel and why he still, after centuries, haunts her. The song "_Monster_" by _Meg & Dia_ summarizes Gabriel and what happens to Schuyler in this chapter.

**Chapter 24**

_Beautifully Broken_

"That night he caged her.  
Bruised and broke her.  
He struggled closer.  
Then he stole her."

-_Monster, _Meg & Dia

_**Part II **_

_Monster_

"Shoot."

"What is it, Jensen?"

"I forgot. Someone has to take the money home and put it in the vault."

I slapped my palm to my forehead. Jared groaned. "Jensen," I cried, "You were supposed to do that this morning." Jensen flashed a great big (guilty) smile. Jared glared and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Thanks bro. Now we're BOTH going to miss all the good parts. I really wanted to see how the wolves fight." Jensen looked as if he were about to cry. And I, being me, couldn't stand it.

"Give it here. I'll take it."

Jensen's head snapped up and looked at me as if I were a goddess. "Really!" I nodded, "I'm stopping at home to change anyway. Can't fight in a skirt, now can I?" Jensen leapt forward and pulled me into a bear hug, "I love you, sis! You're the best little sister in the entire world!" I rolled my eyes away, "Can't say I never did anything for you." Jared decided to jump into the family love, a big sloppy, _devious_ grin dripping off his lips, "Group hug!" "No!" Too late. "Schuyler Taco!" They cheered as they threw all their weight into the hug—the hug of which I was the center. "Eep!" I squeaked as all the air escaped from my lungs. "Love you!" They beamed and kissed both of my cheeks. "See you in a few!" "Hurry or you'll miss your big brothers kicking some serious wolf ass!" The jerks waved on their way out. I glanced at the metal case that housed the week's profits wearily. "Better hurry," I muttered as I picked up my purse and fished out the keys to my truck.

* * *

"There," I muttered to myself as I patted the black iron door of our safe, "Tighter than Fort Knox." I stepped out of my brother's closet after locking up the safe. Once the favor for Jensen had been accomplished, I headed for my room so I could change.

"School," I beamed as I hopped from one foot to the next in order to pry off the heels that I always wore with my uniform, "The greatest downside of being immortal. Thank God it's over!" I dramatically executed a silent cheer and leaped like a ballerina across the hallway. "Now," I mumbled, "College!" 'And with Jasper,' I thought as my heart leaped. I swung the door to my room open.

"Now to change," I continued the conversation with myself. I looked up and stopped in my tracks. I swept the room thoroughly with my eyes. "There you are!" I grinned once spotting my favorite pair of jeans lying in a heap on the floor. Without a thought, I unzipped my skirt and tossed it aside. I then unbuttoned my white blouse and tossed it onto the floor. I walked over to my jeans and slipped them on. I frowned when I reached for my shirt, only to find that it was no longer on my dresser. "I could have sworn that I left my shirt there this morning," I frowned. I twirled on the ball of my foot and looked about the room. "There you are," I sighed as I walked over to my bed. Sneaky little thing, I thought, I must have left it there instead of the dresser. What can I say? I must be getting old.

I was about to pull the shirt over my head when my eyes caught a golden glint. My arms dropped and I held the shirt with one hand. "What's that?" I reached out to pick up the odd object that had hidden itself under the clothing I intended to wear. I held it closer for inspection.

I froze.

As if the medal was a venomous snake, I dropped it to the ground and flew backwards a few steps in disbelief. The medal, St. Gabriel's medal—the one I had thrown away. "H-How?" Every muscle in my body locked and my head raced with thoughts, with possibilities. "N-no," I whispered as I shook my head repeatedly. I continued to pace backward. That is until my back hit something. It wasn't a wall.

Time seemed to stop. It felt like everything happened so slowly. There was a light breeze; it drifted through the open window, a window I had not opened myself. It played with the transparent curtains and twisted them into ruby clouds. Ever so slowly, I felt two icy arms snake around my waist and felt a cold breath that could only be compared to a the pins and needles of the arctic's wind smacking across my face. I couldn't breathe and dropped the shirt in utter terror.

**"Miss me?"**

…no…

His breath felt like hundreds of knives impaling my skin as it brushed across my cheek. Soon, an arm, clothed completely in black, uncoiled from my waist and reached up to my face. The man caressed my face, leaving painful ice trailing behind. His hand slid down the contours of my neck, pausing only slightly to caress the veins, and settled upon a single curl. The man pulled slightly on the curl, watched it straighten. He let the strand free; instantly, it sprung back into a spiral.

"It's been so long, _songbird_," he whispered, his lips barely touching the back of my ear. Hearing the name—a name that only one person, one _monster_, had ever called me, I completely froze, encased as an ice sculpture of terror. My thoughts that had once been racing came screeching to an abrupt halt, leaving nothing but echoes of silence in my head. My heart, which had once been fluttering at thoughts of those who had found it, stopped. Air no longer filled my lungs and all I could feel was pure, absolute terror, a terror unlike anything I'd ever felt before.

Like acid, his hands left scalding trails as they wandered over my exposed skin. The appendages roamed down my neck, shoulders, arms. He leaned his head closer to kiss the flesh covering my neck and shoulders. The curled edges of his dark brown hair brushed my shoulder. It was him… "You've grown so beautiful…" He whispered the words, his voice serene, overwhelmed. His grip around my stomach and forearm tightened immensely. He snarled, "And with beauty, your ignorance." Before I could even register what was happening, I was in pain.

Like a rag doll, I was flung across the room by inhuman strength. I slid across the floor at speeds only a car could reach and slammed straight into a dresser. The pure force forced the heavy object to explode instantly into splintered wood; glass shattered as tiny fragments of the mirror attachment burst and fell like rain. I caught glimpses of myself in the pieces. My skin was whiter than the moon and my eyes were unrecognizable. Any hope I had left was snuffed out by my own reflection. I was a doll, consumed by fear, about to be broken beyond all repair. I was no longer the bold woman. I was once more a frightened fifteen year old girl, trapped in a dark cellar. The screams would go unheard. Against him, I was a scared, fragile little girl. I was human.

What was left of the once hefty piece of furniture gave out, collapsing on top of me, burying me beneath. It didn't stay that way for long. Within a flash, the chunk of wood was pried off and flipped out of the way. I stared up with wide, terror filled orbs. Only a single word echoed in my mind as I stared in pure horror.

My eyes trailed over his features. He looked exactly as I'd seen him last, exactly 270 years prior. His hair still fell in a mess of waves and curls across his face. Still, he continued to tower over me in height and brute strength. And worst of all, his eyes. They were no longer their heart wrenching acidic green; no, now they blazed with fury the color of blood, an intensity that could stop a heart. A simple glance into his eyes and you would know true evil, true insanity. Yes. One single word came to mind, one that continued to haunt me, even after all of this time:

_Gabriel_.

Rage boiling, he reached out and grabbed a fistful of my raven hair and yanked me by it until I stood on my feet and faced him. "You've forgotten," he snarled, his bright red eyes widening, crazed, "Who it is that you belong to."

"H-how?" The words slipped from my mouth. They sounded human, weak. It didn't sound like me, but it was. Gabriel smiled wickedly. He seized my forearms roughly and threw me across the room as if I were a wad of paper. My back crashed into the wall, no doubt leaving behind a crater. Plaster dust and photographs fluttered across the room, carried on the breeze.

I slid painfully down what was left of the wall. "You mean," Gabriel laughed as he ran his hands through his hair, "How am I here? How am I still alive after you killed me?" His laugh grew louder, intense with insanity, "I survived, of course, _dear_." No! My mind finally woke up from the lingering nightmares of my past life, if only a little. He was _dead_! He couldn't have survived! _I killed him_! I _killed_ him…

"_**Where are you going, Songbird?"**_

"_Gabriel!" I whimpered under my breath, my eyes growing in fear as I turned. With a laugh, he stepped out from the shadows created by the storehouse. He strolled closer toward me and stopped once we were face to face. _

_His eyes darkened and his face contorted with anger, "__**You weren't leaving, were you?"**__ I couldn't think. I couldn't speak. I could only stand as a statue. "__**You are my wife!"**__ He shouted, drawing back a fist and smashing it into my face, "__**I decide when you leave! I **_**own**_** you!"**_

_The hit was enough to wake me up. _You have to leave_, I told myself. Get far away, far away where it will be safe. Safe from him. "No," I replied strongly as I backed away. "__**No!"**__ His rage grew to epic proportions, proportions that I doubted even demons could contain. He lunged forward and clasped his giant hands around my neck. He pushed until my back hit the edge of the barn door. Once he had leverage, he squeezed as hard as he could. I clawed and pulled at the human noose, but found no release. With hazy vision and burning lungs, I reached out towards the barn. My hand collided with something and my fingers wrapped around the handle. Without a single thought, I mustered up every ounce of my strength and swung it at my attacker._

_A loud 'thunk' echoed through the estate._

_Gabriel's hand loosened before falling away altogether. I fell with him to the ground, gasping desperately for air. Once I could see straight, I looked up, only to be met with his eyes… his glazed, dieing eyes. That was the first time I'd seen so much blood. Yet… even with the bloodlust, I felt nothing, nothing but relief. I looked from him, with half of his face in the dirt, to the shovel in my hand, the blood covering my dress. I'd hit him, bashed his head in. _

_The blood collected and pooled at my knees. Distraught, I dropped the shovel onto the ground, the clink of metal against the earth was ear-splitting in the silence. I shuffled away, one foot after the other, to create a distance. Gabriel's hand twitched and groped the dirt. I could see his eyes, finally broken by insanity, by death. His eyelids rolled closed and his body stilled. There was so much blood, more so than a human should possess…_

"I wasn't dead," he chuckled, his face suddenly inches away from mine. He roughly pinned my entire body to the wall with his own. His lips barely touched mine he was so close. "I'm special too, Songbird," he insisted, "My blood wasn't normal. I had far too much that day, so I did not die like a normal person would. You see, my dear, my blood is special. The cells multiply at a rate far superior to a human, by ten times in fact." He laughed again and wrenched my face into his hand, his nails slicing ribbons of my thick skin. He searched my eyes for something as he spoke, "By the time you had walked away, I was already healing."

He continued as he tilted my head side to side, memorizing every inch, and grinning as red streaks slid down the curve of my neck, "I would have survived had it not been for a passing vampire. Ha! Of all the things! A vampire!" He chuckled at a joke he seemed to share only with himself. His face fell to a straight line, "He found me and wanted my blood. So, he took it. And, again, I survived, but this time, I awoke as another… a creature of the night, a bringer of deaths—a vampire." His hands slid across my hairline to push back falling strands of hair, "When I came to my senses, the first thing that I wanted to do was come find you." He ran his hand through my curly locks. He frowned and his eyes became void, "Unfortunately, fate wouldn't have that. After faking my own death, I set out to find you. It took me centuries to track you down, and once I thought I finally had you, you disappeared again." Pain.

His fist hit me with the force of a wrecking ball. I let out a strangled cry when my head whipped around and smashed into a wall. Big mistake. Gabriel became excited, and possibly even more crazed at the sound. Yet, his anger was not hindered. His touch appeared to be gentle, but I knew the beast within far too well.

Gabriel pulled me by my hair to my feet. Once I was standing, he trailed his nails lightly in a pattern reaching from my neck, over my chest, down to my stomach, and back. "It wasn't until you stayed in one place, this place of all places," he gripped my forearm tightly; so tightly that I could feel my bones bowing under the pressure, "I wanted to take you then… but you were smitten with another!" He growled, snapped, and dug his nails into my skin. Pain seared across my body as he clawed from my neck to the waist band of my jeans. The bloody trails left five lines, taking off bits of skin as they ran down. Gabriel's red eyes brightened, the crimson solid boiling. He flashed a white smile.

In a single movement, he began kissing from the start of the newly created scar down to the end and back, leaving smeared bloody kisses all over in his wake. He sucked up every drop of blood that leaked from the wounds then stood to face me, blood dripping from the gory mess upon his face. "But you left him," he beamed and grabbed the sides of my face. He roughly pulled my face to his and kissed me with a great passion, a passion I could tell nothing of origin. He pulled back with a pant and growled, "But the fool wouldn't let you go!" His hands moved down until they reached my hips. Once there, he squeezed tightly as he scowled, "'I'll run any distance, swim every ocean if it only meant that I could catch a glimpse of my angel', he said." Gabriel scoffed and let go of me completely. I fell into a clump on the floor. He paced the room silently before turning back, a crazed smile of bliss flooding across his face, "He wouldn't let you go, he said, he'd chase you forever." He paused to grin, "So… I broke him so he'd never be able to chase after you again."

My heart sputtered and spiraled into a never ending decent of fire. He'd hurt him. Gabriel was the one… who hurt him. Gabriel was the reason he was paralyzed? No…

"Billy…" I sobbed the name in utter horror. He'd hurt Billy. My precious first love, my greatest friend. Gabriel… always swore he'd take everything… everything that I loved…

Gabriel shouted venomously, his eyes flaring with a burning hatred, "YOU WILL NOT SAY HIS NAME!" The shouting in my ears did not lessen, even as I was flung across the room, smashing sidelong into the window pane, my head shattering the glass of the window. With pain flowing rapidly like the river of fear, I slid down, smearing crimson along the off-white walls as if it were an empty white canvas.

He didn't allow any time for my sight to clear before he was back in my face screaming, "The only name you will ever say will be mine!" With that, he smashed his fist into my face again. He continued, his rage rising with every second that passed, "Then, I come for you again and this is what I find?" His rage boiled over and he grabbed my arms and rammed me into the only intact wall, "I find you in the arms of another man!" He snarled so violently before thrashing me so hard that I went straight through the drywall to destroy the wooden supports, and then tossed me across the floor. The slide across the hardwood was made easier from the blood and from the sheer force, it was no surprise when I hit headfirst into the wall. I heard a sickening crack, my skull, and the room began to darken and spin. He yelled, his true nature shining through, and lifted the broken desk from the floor and catapulted it in my direction. My eyes grew wide as I saw it slide as if in slow motion, although the object was moving faster than anything natural on the earth. My arms rose instinctively to cover my face and neck and my lower half curled into the top. Both maneuvers did nothing.

Several series of cracks and pops echoed in the room as several of my bones were shattered or broken. My lips parted to scream out in pain, but I just as quickly bit down on the flesh to cease the cries. In a single shift, the furniture was pulled away. I looked up, my vision hazed from an all too familiar full body pain, to find him kneeling beside me, a broken, pained sheen glossing his red eyes. He cautiously slipped his arms beneath my back to shift my battered, broken body into his arms. He sighed as if the image was far too much to bear and then cooed sincerely, "But, do not fear, Songbird. I will forgive you. You were, after all, lost without my guidance. You have become so confused." He then smiled genuinely, a handsome sight if one did not know the monster beneath, and lifted me to my feet. My leg gave out instantly with a sickening sound and I fell, but he caught me before I could hit the floor. With a soft chuckle, he wrapped his arms around me like a steel cage and pressed me against his chest. He continued to coo as his fingers combed through my bloody curls, excitement at the very core of every word he uttered, "We can be a family again, all _three_ of us."

My eyes grew wide and my breath caught in my throat. The _three_?

Three…

Dear _God_…

_What have you done_?

His smile was nostalgic, sickeningly sweet as he broadened the cage by holding me out at arms' length. While one arm looped around my battered frame to keep me from collapsing, his free hand brushed down and up my back, making sure to caress every scar made by him in the past as he made the rounds. He whispered softly at the reminder, "You know better than to make me mad, Songbird." His hands continued to trace every scar, every deformed patch of skin like a lover as he leaned forward and kissed me.

I could only sag against him, limp, my mind already thousands of miles away in a time I had thought had long since past. But he was here. He always was; and I would never be free that cold, dark room made of stone.

Gabriel grew irritated by my lack of response to his declaration of affection and quickly retaliated. I soon felt his clawed fingers raking down my back, opening old scars and creating new ones. Agony exploded from the destruction of the nerves beneath the skin as my precious life blood slipped away, dripping into a pool collecting at my feet. The mere smell of copper choked me; breath came to me in restrained gasps. His lips contorted upward into a wild sneer as he pressed his lips against mine once more, this time enjoying reaction. His nails continued to slide down the path parallel to my spine; controlled by his own bloodlust, Gabriel desired more blood. A low rumbling in his chest caught me off guard; the distraction gave him enough time to bite down on my lip, allowing more precious life to be lost to me. His kisses grew needier and his lips fell from mine and trailed down my neck to my shoulder. His bloodied hand returned to my forearm, then slid down to my elbow and then my wrist. His hand slid into mine, his red fingers tangling with mine.

The small action was enough to sever all of the strings that held me down to reality, inside that dark room smelling of fear and blood, only to be replaced with a thousand steel cables that anchored deeply into a world of light.

Gabriel screamed, slapping my hands away and pushing my body away as both of us fell to the floor. He fell with a loud crash and began to scream obscenities as he held his head, in pure agony. I fell back, narrowly catching myself with my elbows, sputtering wildly for air. Once I had found it, I stared at Gabriel in a stupor. He was screaming in utter terror, utter madness. Lost to a world inflicted with fear…

Instantly, my forgotten heart gave a great leap, and with it, my body. Survival instincts, alongside the returned ability of thought processes mixed with painful memories, came to me all at once. I struggled to pick myself as far as I could from the floor and stumbled, adrenaline giving me wings, towards the light switch. I swatted at the wall roughly, leaving bright red hands prints as I scrambled for the switch. When I found it, the lights flicked on and I prayed to every diety that someone would see it. From there, I ran to the glass-less window, driven by the thought of jumping out. I gripped the edges of the window pane and managed to swing my bad leg onto the other side.

Claws ripped me away. Gabriel had broken form his own mental cage. Unfortunately for me, it only made him madder. Again, I was hurled to the floor. He positioned himself to block the route to the window. He didn't even bother with the door. In my condition, it would be unlikely for me to escape the house with him following.

Yet, it wouldn't be impossible.

Fueled by a new-found desire for life and light, in one heart palpitating rush, I raced one hands and knees to the door and broke the handle off in one go. I was nearly out when Gabriel caught me. Abruptly, he yanked me off my feet by the waist and threw me down onto the hardwood floor; he quickly followed. "No!" I screamed defiantly, finally finding my voice in the abyss of fear as I flailed about in attempt to break free from his weight. Gabriel grew irritated by my actions and slammed my entire upper half through the wooden boards. The action resulted in the dislocation of my shoulder.

When I looked up, his eyes were that of the devils. They glistened with rage, hate, lust, envy, insanity… murder. My heart tightened in my chest. His lips curled upward like a feral dog to bare his teeth. He snarled loudly as he pinned down my shoulders before dipping down towards the flesh near my collarbone. Then, without a moments notice, he bit down, _hard_.

My eyes grew wide, my mouth wide and gaping, and I trashed wildly. I wanted to scream, the pain was so bad, but my voice had abandoned me. Within seconds, I felt a light burning sensation build at the tips of my feet. Slowly, the heat spread through my toes, up to my ankles. The heat grew scorching, and my muscles tensed so extremely to leave me paralyzed. My mouth clamped shut in an attempt to hold in the growing agony. Finding me quiet and the thrashing diluted to mere twitching, Gabriel growled and moved his hands from my arms. They slid lower and lower. He ripped of the buttons off my jeans and did the same to the buttons on his own shirt. "No!" The word was weak and spoken barely above the whisper, but the fire was strong. Gabriel's growl rumbled like thunder. His lifted one hand from the waistband of my jeans, his fingers curling into a ball as he drew his arm back. My eyes clenched closed as I braced for more pain.

Nothing came. My eyes opened slowly to find Gabriel silent with his head tilted at an angle as if he were trying to hear a sound far away. He was still and quiet, which made me realize something. I was getting _really_ hot, like fire hot. The heat at my feet had spread up my legs, getting hotter the further it traveled. In fact, it felt as is someone had doused me in oil and then thrown a match. It was a fire, a burning, very painful fire.

Gabriel growled loudly, drawing only partial attention from me. "That fool," he growled, eyes practically glowing with fury. He glanced down at me and frowned when he found the sound of my heart beat pick up and thump faster and faster, racing. His frown twisted further when he saw my back arch as a sheet of newly forming sweat mixed with the crimson. "Now, now, Songbird," he cooed as he got off of me. He disappeared from my hazy vision, only to reappear seconds later. He leaned down to kiss my forehead softly as he slid something around my neck. The cold item, something on a chain perhaps, chilled the scorching heat I felt from my body before it, too, became hot as well. "You are my _wife_," he whispered into my ear, "You belong to me. I will return when there are fewer distractions to take back what is mine." With that said, he kissed my lips roughly and disappeared from the room.

**But that wasn't comforting.** Now, I lay on the floor, burning in the scorching heat of the hottest fire. Tears completely blinded me and I clamped my eyes shut and wreathed in a silent pain. The fire was spreading, and to top it off, I could feel my control of my own body dwindling. I opened my eyes and searched desperately for the fire that consumed me so. Only… there wasn't one. My mind swam in chaos of thoughts as I tried to think how, but the pain was spreading, a pain that dwarfed the battery, and my mind was slipping away. That was when I realized something. This pain, I'd felt it once before, when I had first met Jasper.

I was bitten by a vampire.

But something wasn't right. I was _already_ part vampire. This should have no affect on me! Why, then! My mind fell away as the fire reached my chest. Instantly, my lungs caught fire and breath would not come. Right after, my heart, as if fueled by the heat, began to race. I gasped for air, but found that my lungs would not accept it. Why is this—

Everything went dark.

As if answering me, visions encased in red from the flames flashed before my eyes.

_Ulric frowned, having finally solved the mystery and allowing the information to set in. His eyes were guarded, disbelieving, "There's no way. It can't be done. You're mistaken." "Am I?" I retorted as I reached to untie the choker around my neck. His eyes traced the spot and his eyes grew wide. "You've been bitten?" He exclaimed in disbelief. "Yes," I nodded as I sat back, "And you saw what happened to give me the other part of my DNA. You were there." "That's why you almost died," he frowned, leaning back in slight acceptance. "Yes," I nodded again as I watched his reactions, "Werewolves and Vampires are toxic to each other." He sighed heavily and snatched his mug off the table and downed it with one gulp. _

"_You've got problems."_

"_Thanks." _

_Ulric sighed and rubbed at his throbbing headache. "So," he chuckled dryly, "You __do__ have a weakness." "Do I?" I wondered aloud. He moved his hand away to reveal his serious, dangerous blue eyes. Speaking with a tone of learned wisdom, he bluntly stated, "It's a double-edged sword, love. You're the impossible, one-of-a-kind. Judging from the sickness, I'd have to say you're in trouble."_

"_What do you mean?" I asked in a hushed whisper._

_He leaned closer onto his elbows and whispered just as quietly, "You're no longer invincible, Sky. Like I said, you have a weakness."_

_Weakness?_

_He sighed and ran his hand through his ruffled hair, "You'll never be accepted onto either side and both will combine to destroy you. The blood that runs through your veins, love, shouldn't be. It's a raging war, always has been. If an outside force comes into contact, a force that would oppose the enemy side, you could cease to exist." He groaned when the words refused to make sense. "Sky," he stared desperately, "You, what you are, it was never supposed to be. It shouldn't be, but it is, and eventually it will kill you, permanently. Love, you're two halves that can never make a whole."_

_He frowned in worry, "Tread carefully with this war. I believe your bloke has it right; you should sit this one out."_

"_Why?" I groaned, completely confused, "Why can't I fight!" _

"_Newborns bite," he scowled at a memory, "Werewolves scratch and cut bodies into ribbons. You really don't get it, do you?"_

_I shook my head._

"_Sky, you're allergic to the venom of the cold ones."_

Allergies.

Who would have thought the great Schuyler Lorena Von Curen would be done in by a simple allergy?

Yes, I chuckled at the irony.

"_Yet," Ulric sighed, a small hopeful smile spreading to his face, "the dosage shouldn't kill you. You will, most likely, survive an attack. Heck, you might even escape with a cold. So long as it's only __one__."_

Ironic, isn't it?

He said he would kill me if I ever left.

Without even realizing it, he'd kept his promise.

"_**I'm special too, Songbird**__," he insisted, "__**My blood wasn't normal. I had far too much that day, so I did not die like a normal person would. You see, my dear, my blood is special. **__**The cells multiply at a rate far superior to a human**__**, by ten times in fact**__."_

Bastard.

He had too much blood because of rapid cell growth.

The same idea applies to venom.

So, in reality, that means he had 10x the venom.

I'm going to die.

My body was shutting down, bit by bit, yet I happily welcomed the freedom from pain. I sat in silence for the longest time. My thoughts were slow and few in number, as well as quiet, and my heart grew weaker, so weak that I could barely hear it. My body became numb and I felt like all the weight I had grown so used to had been lifted, leaving behind a weightless, disintegrating mind. The vision from so long ago, the vision foretelling this very moment, seemed so cynical. I remembered seeing myself, my room slathered in blood. I remember the faceless girl—I laughed dryly as I realized that I'd always known in the back of my mind that it had been me—lying in a pool of her own blood baring the trademark, a medal, of her killer. I would be rushed to the hospital, of course. I felt more hot tears escape from my eyes and imagined their stream down my pale, bloodied, bruised cheeks. Carlisle would be there when I died. Part of me took comfort in knowing I wouldn't be alone. Another half looked on in horror.

Time seemed only an illusion. Slowly, but surely, I felt the ties, the cables, that had held me so strongly to this world snap one by one. My grip on a world in which I clung so desperately too began to loosen. My eyesight faded out for a second before going completely black. My hearing began to dull; the sirens, the yelling, the shouting, the bustle of movement—all disappeared into nothing. Yet, in the silence, the paralysis, and the darkness, the pain grew fiercer and my will to live, to survive, became weaker and dwindled into short, broken beats, much like my battered heart.


	29. Chapter 24 Beautifully Broken, Part 3

**Chapter 24**

_Beautifully Broken_

_**Part III **_

_Lacrimosa_

_Carlisle's Point of View_

Jasper seems quite perturbed, I thought, a light grin spreading to my face. "What is it, dear?" Esme asked as she hooked her arm around mine. I patted her hand fondly and bent slightly to whisper into her ear, "It seems our son has become quite fond of a certain young lady." Esme smiled and looked out to the field, right as Jasper finished demonstrating another way to gain an advantage in a brawl. He looked around discreetly, as he had every single time he finished a lesson. He sighed, having again failed to find the face of a certain heroine. "He's in love," Esme cooed as she hugged my arm. "He's found hope," I agreed. The poor boy had been lost in the chaos of life, and more so in death. We'd worried greatly for him, a member of our family who had not yet grown used to our customs. But now, there was no need. In the chaos, he found _her_, the one who would take his hand and lead him back into the light. I could never fully thank her, Schuyler; she's a miracle, and always has been.

"Hey! What'd we miss?" A hand clamped onto my shoulder. "Hello, boys. You've missed nothing, we just started." The brothers cheered, and then happily moseyed off towards Emmett. That's when I noticed it. "Where's Schuyler?" I questioned, not seeing her anywhere. Jensen shrugged while flashing an almost guilty smile, "She stopped at home first to do a few errands; she'll probably be here in a few minutes." I chuckled to myself. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Jasper frown and felt his impatience increase. I chuckled as he turned back to his lesson, making sure to gaze around the field as he did so. He had it bad.

"What did you say she was doing, again?" "She went home to change," Jensen insisted as if it were nothing. His eyes, however, gave away his anxiety. "Maybe she was tired and didn't want to come?" Jared suggested, equally worried. "Firecracker?" Emmett scoffed, "She wouldn't miss this for the world." The brothers shifted uncomfortably; they knew that fact as well as anyone. "She hasn't called," Jensen muttered as he pulled his phone from his pocket. There were no missed calls.

Twenty minutes. It had been twenty minutes since the time when she was to arrive had passed. All of us were on edge with worry for the spirited little girl. "Maybe her car broke down?" Rosalie suggested indifferently. She didn't fool me. Rosalie, as odd as the idea was, was fond of Schuyler. I could tell, as Edward could, that she was just as anxious. "No," Jared scoffed, a slight smile from a memory upon his face, "Sky knows cars. If anything happened to her truck, which is unlikely as she treats it like her own child, she'd be able to fix it in a heartbeat." "I'll try calling her," Jensen suggested as he turned away from the group to hold the phone to his ear. For the twenty-second time, the dial tone was heard, quickly followed by the sound of Schuyler's voice mail.

Jasper, perhaps, was the most anxious of us all. He stood in the center of the field working with the wolves, Edward, and Alice. He was getting edgier and more worrisome by the second. To say in the least, I wouldn't be surprised if he bolted to go search for her.

My worries were thrown awry. My pager went off, which startled us all. I snatched the machine from my belt with a flick of the wrist and read the words that scrolled across the screen. I looked up to my family, "There's an emergency at the hospital. Please excuse me." I kissed my wife and wordlessly swept away from the field.

_Jensen's Point of View_

Grr, stupid, stupid.

Where is she?

Ten more minutes and hundreds of phone calls later, we were still stuck. Schuyler wasn't here. Schuyler wasn't picking up her cell phone. Jensen is freaking out. "What's going on?" Bella asked as she walked over after talking to one of the dogs. I turned and snapped, "Are you blind!" I was angry, I was worried. I didn't mean to snap, but I did. "Hey." Edward appeared, quite literally out of nowhere, and blocked her from my sight. "Is there a problem?" My big mouth wasn't finished yet. "Yeah," I snarled, stepping closer to him, towering over him, "Are you all freakin' blind! You say my little sister's your friend, yet none of you've noticed what's going on!" Edward remained calm, although his eyes gave away his irritation. "We've noticed. We're just as worried as you are, so calm down." I was about to beat his face in when Jared, who knew me all to well, sprang forth and grabbed my arms. "We're leaving," He stated simply. Simple Jared.

"What-" I turned to snap at him, snap at anyone. I was so frustrated. Memories of a time when she wasn't there, when she had been taken away from us surfaced. Old feelings of helplessness returned. Alice popped up between us and glared, an odd thing for the tiny girl. "You two should check at home. We'll do what we can here." I blew out air in one angry rush and pushed Jared off. "Let's go." Jared and I left the field, rushing with high hopes of finding Schuyler asleep hugging a couch, completely free of harm and worry.

But, I thought, it was Schuyler.

And when she was involved, things were never quite that simple.

_Alice's Point of View_

What's happened?

My eyebrows furrowed as I searched every memory, every vision I'd seen. I could feel it deep within my bones. Something wasn't right. Schuyler was never late; she's never missed a phone call; she'd never miss these lessons unless the world had an apocalypse. No, I smiled faintly; even then, she'd be here. So… why wasn't she?

I received my answer. I saw a vision. The army of newborns… something was different. There were more now. These were more vicious, and oddly, smarter. They had a new target, I realized as I spotted a familiar shirt. My face paled, if possible, and I felt my body tremble. There were a lot more. A dozen more, in fact. And a new leader, _no_—my eyebrows furrowed and my head ached with great pain as I struggled to make the details clear, Victoria was, by show, still in charge. There was another, one much more powerful, more dangerous. My sight swooped through the scenery and caressed every face until I found the one, the real mastermind. His sickening smile made my skin crawl; his eyes, consumed completely by the pure embodiment of true evil; the blood that dripped from his mouth and the scent that covered his clothes. I screamed.

Answers. I'd asked, and now, I had them. But, what does one do with said answers when you are simply too late to utilize them? What do you do when there's nothing in the outcome of the answers but fear? What does one do when all dreams, all futures are snatched away from your very fingers right in front of your face?

You lose all hope.

_If only I could cry_, I sobbed without a single droplet of water to show my true turmoil. The images continued to appear and I was trapped by his eyes, doomed to watch every scene as it played out; hear every scream as it was cried; watch in horror as the crimson waters fell from broken skin like oceans.

If only I could cry for my beloved friend.

If only I could cry, then I would fall into an endless pit of lacrimose and drown in tearful mourning for the death of my beloved friend.

If only I could cry.

_Edward's Point of View_

"What is it, Alice?" I questioned the restless little pixie. She clenched fistfuls of her short spiky hair into her hands and pressed her fists against her skull. Her lips pursed and her facade took on the persona of absolute concentration. She was searching for answers.

Spotting Alice, everyone became a little more relaxed; everyone felt that she would find a reasonable answer, as she usually did. Jasper, having finished lessons, joined us. His eyes trained onto Alice's clenched eyes and he hovered close in apprehensive silence. Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme stood off to the side, but they, too, were intent on Alice. I clutched Bella's hand in my own and stayed silent as I watched the images that flashed through her mind.

After several failures, Alice managed to find answers. It was the newborns… "Something's changed," I voiced, tone laced, no doubt, in surprise. "Changed?" Esme questioned, fear ringing in her voice. I nodded hesitantly as Alice's vision swept over the camp, "There are more. A lot more." Bella's grip on my hand tightened. I squeezed it with a thought of comfort, something I completely lacked at the given time.

My breath caught in my throat when the revelation hit. We'd made a mistake, a grave mistake. I saw his eyes, the eyes of the psycho I'd seen only once, seen only in a memory.

"_**Hey, songbird**__," a man whispered. His voice was light, yet twisted. "__**Did you miss me**__?" I could see a man with dark tied back hair drift closer. The memory was dark, but I could hear perfectly; I could __**smell**__ Schuyler's fear. "N-no, p-pl-please," she whimpered. The man stepped closer. All I could see were two acidic green orbs staring back. The man smiled deviously, and at that moment Schuyler, as well as myself, knew that nothing on the earth could possess as much evil as the __**demon **__(I couldn't say human as there was no humanity) before her. He reached forward to grab my friend by the forearms and laughed as it caused her great pain…_

Gabriel.

Gabriel was alive, more or less, and the real mastermind behind the army. Victoria wanted revenge on me for killing James; but what did Gabriel want? Didn't Schuyler say he died long ago?

Alice's vision drew closer. My question was answered; he was a vampire.

The vision swayed back to the army of newborns. One, the head of the group, held a shirt, a familiar shirt in his hand. It wasn't Bella's.

They had a second target, I realized. I looked up to my family and told the grotesque detail, "There's a second target. Bella's not the only one being tracked." Jasper felt my confusion, my fear. "Schuyler," he growled, turning fully, completely ready to bolt and search the entire world for her. "No," I stopped him, my eyes betraying my thoughts, "It's not Schuyler." He stopped and turned quizzically, "Then who?" "You," I answered, jaw locked. His eyes grew wide, "What? Why?" I couldn't answer him.

Alice's vision continued. The sight moved back to focus on Gabriel. First, the focus was on the crimson that smothered him, blood, and his disheveled appearance. My skin, as well as Alice's, began to crawl. He had killed someone; the amount of blood made that fact clearer than day. But it wasn't the grotesque appearance that drew us in—it was his eyes. The evil glint caught us, entrapped us, and pulled us in. Instantly, we found out why he was covered in blood.

My skin lost any color it may have had and my breath never returned. My eyes grew wide and every ounce of control of my body was lost in a single instant. The images… I wanted to turn away. I couldn't see them. But his hold was strong, and in horror, I continued to watch everything he had ever done to her. I felt sobs and pain wrack my entire body, yet no tears, as Alice had said, would fall. In her visions, I found the answer to our biggest question—where was Schuyler?

Alice's scream pierced the silence and she fell to her knees in pure terror. I couldn't help her; the images, the despicable violence continued and seemed to go on forever. My family jumped back in bewilderment, not expecting such a thing from Alice. I really couldn't blame her.

The images, finally, began to slow. The hits ceased. Her battered, broken body lay limp on the ground after the beating of her life. Something, I sobbed, wasn't right. She'd been bitten, but she was a vampire. She'd been beaten, but she was immortal. So… why wasn't she moving? Why had the light gone from her eyes? Why had the spirit, the fierce spirit she contained, been snatched away?

Why was she gone?

"Dear, God," I cried out, watching as the smoky wisps that made her form blow away to reveal a mere corpse. I could see her, clearer than ever before.

_She was so fragile, so surreal. Her skin was pale white, a white only a true corpse could achieve. She was like a doll, I thought as I stared into the unbreakable silence. She was so still, so striking. It was odd, seeing her so still, so silent, so void of life. Usually, we couldn't get her to shut up or keep her from bouncing all over the place. Now… now, I'd give anything to have her annoyingly jump onto my back or sarcastically remark about some foolish thing or another. _

_ Her features were striking, more so than any vampire. Her skin was pale, yet her lips were the darkest, most vibrant contrasting shade of red I'd ever seen. I cringed; the color was not from lipstick, but her own blood. Her clothing, which usually changed in the oddest of ways as she did, was nonexistent. She was left only with her tattered jeans, nothing else. Blood, cuts, scars, and bite marks covered her entire body._

_ Still, she didn't move. Still, her chest did not heave for breath. Still, her eyes remained closed. Still, she lay dead, so beautifully broken, on the cold hardwood floor, drowning now in her own pool of blood. I watched on in horror, in realization as I realized something. Schuyler wasn't coming back. I'd never be bothered by her incessant talking; I'd never fight with her over some trivial matter again; I'd never hear her voice; I'd never see her smile. Not ever again. _

Finally, the vision set us free. Yet, still, we remained enslaved to it.

I blinked once. I blinked twice.

Everyone was staring.

Alice sat like a fallen statue on the ground. Bella clenched to me, fear alight in her eyes. Emmett and Rosalie were silent, and for once, neither said a word. Esme stood tall, yet the shellshock was obvious to all. Jasper… I couldn't look him in the eye.

"What has changed?" Esme, gathering up her courage, finally asked. Her fists clenched. I took a deep breath; for every inch my lungs increased, the more stabbing pain in my heart I felt. My face hardened like stone; I held in everything to be strong, to _appear _strong. "The army is growing. There are more newborns, and a new leader as well. It would seem we were terribly mistaken. Very much so." Bella's hand fell from my own and I clenched both fists. My mind burned with rage, "Victoria was not alone. There was another, one who probably pushed her and helped her achieve all of this."

"The Volturi?" Emmett spoke up. "No," I whispered as I glared at the relentless earth, "Worse." I looked up and turned to Jasper, my entire being wrenched with pain, "It was a true monster." Jasper frowned, his jaw tight, feeling the emotions running through me. He didn't quite understand. "He has added on a target. For some reason, he's going after Jasper." Jasper nodded, "And?" He knew that wasn't all.

I saw his eyes and the stone face I'd put on began to crack. My voice, too, shared the trait, "We know why Schuyler isn't here." Alice sobbed violently and curled into a ball. Jasper's eyes were wild, wild with disbelief. "Where?" He really loved her, so much. I looked to Bella and grabbed her hand and held it in my own. If I were ever to lose my love… I remember the feeling. I had wanted to die.

I glanced at Emmett. He read my eyes and moved faster than lightning behind Jasper and pinned his arms behind his back.

Jasper's reaction was… unexpected.

"Where the hell is she!" He snarled, eyes wide with a flood of emotions. The levee had broken and the oceans came flooding out. Rosalie saw my hesitation. She whispered, voice void and tight, "She's gone, isn't she?" I merely nodded. Bella whimpered, "Gone? Gone where?" I closed my eyes and held her tightly. Rosalie snapped at Bella, angered by her ignorance, "She's gone! As in never coming back! Schuyler is never coming back! She's _dead_!"

Jasper froze. Emmett gripped harder, knowing the storm had yet to come.

He was right.

Within a second, Jasper switched over from a stilled, fearsome man… to a caged animal wrought with the worst of all pains. Jasper snarled and hissed and flailed and fought. Emmett simply closed his eyes and did what he could to hold him back. Bella stood frozen, mouth slightly agape. The news hadn't sunk in. Somehow, I sorrowfully thought as the feisty young girl's image glowed in my mind, I knew it never would.

Jasper managed to throw Emmett off. Freed, he scrambled in a blind rage over to Alice. Alice did nothing, but held onto her legs and sobbed tearlessly. "Where is she!" He screamed. I moved to aid Emmett in restraining him, but stopped when Alice spoke. Her voice had lost all trace of her, "Carlisle's with her. She's in the hospital. She's alive… but not for long. There's nothing we can do. The venom has already spread throughout her body." Venom? "What do you mean?" I quickly asked. She continued in the same detached way, "He bit her, but he's special, like us. He had an abnormal amount of venom; she should have been fine… but there was too much venom." "Alice," I spoke, a glint of hope coming to light, "Schuyler's part vampire. The venom shouldn't hurt her."

Alice's head snapped up. She stared at me, her eyes still foggy from remnant visions, "Schuyler hosts many secrets; secrets we could never even dream of. I saw the man she went to see in Europe. He told her. Schuyler's two parts of a whole that can never be, he said, and each part was fighting against the other deep inside of her. He said it was her greatest strength, yet, ironically, it was also her greatest weakness." Her eyes drifted closed as a sob and a bitter smile appeared, "It was a secret. She didn't want Jasper to know because she knew he'd worry and not let her fight." Her eyes reopened and she smiled even more ironically, "Schuyler's only weakness, the one thing that can truly kill her… is a vampire's venom."

Jasper ran off, heading straight for the hospital.

Not one of us tried to stop him.


	30. Chapter 25 Fading, Part 1

**NOTE:**Sorry for the wait—chemistry consumes my life. On the bright side, should everything go to plan, I'll be able to edit the rest of the story and it will be posted and ended at chapter 30 by the end of December, give or take a day or two. BTW, once you reach the end of this chapter…bet you didn't see that coming?

**Chapter 25**

_Fading_

**Part I**

_Rolling Thunder_

_**Carlisle's Point of View  
**_

"Dr. Cullen!"

I nodded to the nurse as he ran up to me as soon as I walked into the ER. The man was pale, very pale. "Doctor, you're needed over here. It's terrible! There's been an attack, much like the ones in Seattle. But this time it's in Forks and the victim is still alive." He quickly ushered me towards the most chaotic corner of the room. "What's the victim's condition?" "She's lost too much blood," he frowned pitifully, "She has severe lacerations covering the majority of her body. She's been drifting in and out of consciousness." His tone fell grimly, "It's a wonder she made it so far. Doc, it doesn't look good. I don't think she'll make it." Our feet carried us faster.

The newborns were moving in, I realized; thoughts filled with dread took over. Something had changed.

"Poor girl," he mumbled, "She just moved here." My breath caught in my throat. I sped past the nurse and pushed a few more nurses aside so I could catch a glimpse of the victim. If my heart could beat, it would have sputtered to an abrupt stop. If I had tears, they would have fallen without end. "My God," I whispered, my eyes wide, completely stunned. "Lorena…"

The fraction of a second seemed to pass by as if it were an hour. The victim was Schuyler. Her face was pale and had but a slight twinge of her normally bright red cheeks. Her lips, usually pale pink and moving non-stop, were parted slightly, stilled, and were the bright shade of blood. No, I corrected myself, it _was_ blood—her blood. She was so still, like a radiant flower—defenseless, wondrous, and beautiful. Yet her eyes, which flickered at the slightest angle open and closed, lacked something. They lacked life, the bubbly, fiery spirit that made here who she was. Now, she seemed so much like a broken doll, lying there for all to see. Her clothes had been removed, all except for her under garments, all so the team could attempt to fix her. Blood… there was so much blood. The crimson elixir leaked from her wounds, wounds all over, and slid and smeared over her marred, bone white skin.

Instantly, I snapped to and began to shout orders, orders that would hopefully save one of my oldest friends. "Hold on," I whispered to her.

_**Schuyler's Point of View**_

Hold on.

Carlisle.

Pain.

Please…

Stop the pain…

The fire had returned, but with tenfold the power. The tidal waves of the greatest pain I'd ever felt in my life crashed over me and swept me away. The darkness of the sea crushed me and stole away my breath. The current swirled me around in whirlpools of confusion and encased me in a senseless abyss. Words, from whom they were uttered I did not know, were all I could hear.

_Do you wish for the pain to be over?_

Yes! God, yes!

Please…

_Give in…_

Give up, it meant. Die. The words… I contemplated them. I considered them. Give it up. Stop the pain. The pain… the fire… the terror… life…

**Hold On.  
**

The words echoed and overpowered the other voice. Hold On.

Can I…?

_Give in. Give up. The pain will lessen…_

I…

"_**Ik**__**hou**__**van**__**je.**__"_

_I love you._

Jasper_…_

Hold on…

_**Jensen & Jared's Point Of View**_

"Is the _entire_ police department here!"

"No," Jared mumbled as he pulled at a loose thread on his jacket, "The fire department's here, too." Jensen pulled up to the house and quickly turned off the ignition. "See!" Jensen chuckled, "I'm not the only one who burns things down!" His joke was unheard. "Something's not right," Jared whispered as he kicked the car door open and rushed out. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding!" Jensen yelled as he, too, exited the car.

"Hey!" Jared yelled, becoming more frantic as he spotted yellow tape blocking off entrance to the house. "Hey!" He shouted louder as he spotted a group of police officers huddled near the front door. Jared took one look around—cops from several counties, crime scene investigators, no ambulance; he felt sick. "HEY!" He screamed when one cop looked away. "Chill," Jensen chuckled as he patted his brother's shoulder, "It's just a misunderstanding. Sky will come walking-" "Shut up, Jensen!" Jared seethed as he glared at his brother, "Something's very wrong here! Can't you see that?" Jensen fell silent; he finally looked at the house and felt his senseless optimism diminish. "She's not coming out, is she?" Jensen whispered. Jared scoffed and ducked under the tape, barreling straight for the house.

"Stop!" A man in uniform stepped up to stop them, "You can't come in-" Another cop stepped forward and pulled him back, allowing the brothers to breeze past and run into the house. "Charlie, why-" "Her brothers," Charlie Swann stared sadly past his comrade towards the open door. Every officer on the lawn fell silent.

"Schuyler!" Jared yelled as he felt his heart grow heavier and heavier with every step he took. Jensen's heart had already broken. He knew something had happened; he knew it the moment Schuyler was a minute late. Neck and neck, the two pushed past officials of every kind until they reached her door.

The normally welcoming door was slightly ajar. Their hearts shattered into thousands of pieces. Staining the brass knob was something wet, something of the brightest red. Letting out a breath, Jared reached forward and pushed the door open. Both stared in shock at the most terrifying scene they'd ever seen. Not even war, they thought, could have prepared them for this.

_**Schuyler's Point of View**_

"_**Ik**__**hou**__**van**__**je.**__"_

_I love you._

Jasper_…_

_Hold__on_…

In a single instant, my heart gave a great sputter as the flames danced and scorched all around it. The vital organ gave race, a race it could not possibly win, and sauntered off into a new, heavy leaded beat. Each beat was a deafening boom of thunder in the endless darkness. All I had to grasp, to hold on to, was that rolling thunder. Despite the pain, I gathered up every ounce of courage, of faith that I had left and held on as a searing light illuminated the darkness and swept away my thunder in one grand flash. It was the end, finally coming to claim the one, the only who managed to evade it. I held on to his words, to my heart.

* * *

"_Good morn, klein licht," a young man with long light brown hair and sparkling, kind royal blue eyes beamed as he knelt down to face the little brown haired child. "Thomas!" She beamed as she threw her tiny arms around his neck. "So much energy for so early in the day!" Thomas exclaimed as he lifted the child from the ground to his arms. He kissed the child lovingly upon her forehead.  
_

"_Little Schuyler is up already?" An older man who greatly resembled Thomas appeared into the room. He bore a great smile and clapped the younger boy on the back. "She takes after you, my son." Thomas laughed with great pride and hugged the giggling girl closer, "That's right! The world's greatest sister has to have someone to look up to, and who better than me?" "Thomas," a younger Jensen ran eagerly into the room, "I'm up too!" Jared, barely six at the time, burst into the room behind Jensen, "Me too!" The eldest man looked upon his children with wonder and burst into laughter, "Thomas, it would seem you have many admirers!" "Come play with us!" Jensen pouted. "Pouting does not become you, dear," a beautiful blonde chuckled as she strolled into the room, a girl younger than Schuyler upon her hip. A small blonde girl rushed past the woman and joined in the fray, "I want to play!" "Hm," Thomas pondered, a great smile upon his face, "What shall we do today, klein licht?" The little girl with mismatched eyes beamed and hugged Thomas around the neck even tighter, "Play!" "Play, it is," Thomas confirmed as his two parents joined arms and helped usher their happy family outside into the sun._

* * *

"_Please!" The blonde woman, much older now, cried as she trailed hopelessly after her eldest, still living, son. "Jensen!" She cried, "You cannot leave! Your father and Thomas-" "They are dead!" He seethed as he continued marching on, not even so much as sparing a mere glance to what he planned to leave behind. "There's nothing here," he muttered, his jaw locked with pain, anger, and loss. "Nothing at all." The little brown haired girl with the strange miss-matched eyes watched on as her mother fell to the ground, begging one of her only remaining sons not to abandon her. The girl stood there for hours, even after her kin had long been gone, and waited for another to return. With a huff, she sat down on the dirt road and stared out into the sunset, watching, waiting for someone who would never come home._

* * *

_"Child, keep your mouth shut and say not a single word," the blonde woman, the mother, wholly crazed by a single psychotic break, whispered harshly as she pulled along an older Schuyler. "I found the _perfect_ man! He has hoards of wealth and his bloodline is surreal! To top it off, he actually wants **you**! Why, I don't understand. His taste is quite horrendous." The woman continued to whisper in several different magnitudes to herself, mostly in arguments over what to do with all the money she would surely receive for trading off her last daughter, her last hope.  
_

"_Madame Von Curen," a thick, suave voice called from ahead. Schuyler's dulled eyes flared to a fiery life. A man with wavy dark brown hair stood before her. On all accounts, he was handsome; his eyes were bright and vibrant like the liveliest of evergreens, his hair shifted only slightly in the breeze and was the color of the bark of the darkest sycamore, and his appearance practically screamed money. All in all, it was her mother's dream made into reality.  
_

_His eyes to her were a greater omen than her, herself. His movements, slight and well-balanced, told her he was anything but what he seemed. His calculated, careful persona cried out to her that he was a danger, something to watch carefully or avoid at all costs for sake of life.  
_

_"Madam Von Curen," he addressed after kissing the hand of her mother. The man moved to stand in front of her. His eyes trailed all across her tiny frame and his eyes grew brighter by the inch. "If I may be so bold," he smiled and reached for her hand. He grasped her dainty hand and brought it slowly to his lips. Schuyler shuttered. She could feel who he really was, felt _what _he really was—a monster pretending to be a man.  
_

"_You're more beautiful than the sun itself," he grinned, his coo registering in her mind as a threat. In an instant, his smile fell and he collapsed suddenly onto the ground, gasping frantically for breath. Schuyler took a step back and glared indifferently.  
_

"_Wretched child!" The blonde woman screeched as she knelt down to aid the ill stricken man. "Sir Henry!" A crowd began to gather on the street. Several occupants began to whisper, began to curse the devil that plagued their village. "How dare you!" The woman, her mother, began to screech as she held the man in her arms, "You're a monster!"  
_

_The man burst into laughter despite the sudden sickness that had overcome him. He looked up with searing eyes and grinned like a child on Christmas day, "You're extraordinary!" Schuyler took a great step back and stared at the man in awe. Holding his aching chest, the pale man leapt to his feet with renewed vigor, "A monster, indeed! I _must_ have you!" The girl shrunk considerably before the insane man whose eyes sparkled with pain and pleasure. She fell into a great crevice in the earth and felt herself be swallowed by the earth's restraining waters. It was at that very moment that she knew terror. It was at that very moment that she knew what true evil really was._

* * *

"_You know better than to make me mad, songbird," the evil, deranged man chuckled as he hovered over the battered girl's broken body. He sat down beside her and scooped her bleeding self into his arms and cradled her. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear as his hand caressed the only un-bruised, untouched part of her body. "Why don't you sing, songbird? I'm sure he would love to hear you. Your voice is heavenly, I must say. How about that lullaby? The one in your home language?" Tears cascaded down her dirty face as she cradled her swollen stomach. Without hesitation, she began to sing aloud, knowing full well that Gabriel did not know the double meaning of the words._

* * *

_It was a cold April night. The moon, although only a crescent, shone bright and set the leaves and tall grass alight with a soft, illuminating glow. Several patches of night blooming cereuses were abloom and rivaled the twinkling stars against the pitch black sky. It was then they met under a blanket of stars that cold night in Texas. She was there, staring as she always had at the marvels, the only wonder that knew no peril, knew no change—the stars. She was afraid, as she always had been. She'd seen men die, innocents slaughtered, hearts broken, and the true evil of mankind. Yet, she was not afraid of peril, of eminent death. No, it was a ghost that haunted her—the ghost of a monster that had long passed, yet still remained._

_It was then, under the blanket of night that they met. Whether the two realized it or not, they needed the other like two halves to complete a whole._

_A swish, a snap, a crunch, a gasp. She became prey to him, yet at the same time the role was reversed. He had his desire, yet with it her memory. She would awake with power, with hope, yet at the cost of humanity. So much was gained that night, yet so much was lost. Truly, in the grand scheme of things… they'd left their mark upon the other so that one day they would find each other and ultimately, find peace._

* * *

___"We'll take care of you," Jensen smiled as he raised his mug in the air. Jared chuckled and clinked his glass to Schuyler's then to Jensen's. "To Schuyler," he announced. "To family," Schuyler added with a tiny grin. "And as of the past hundred years, I'm usually the one taking care of _you_," she added with a chuckle. Jared burst into laughter, "Yeah! I still can't believe you didn't know how to use a fire extinguisher!" "Shut up!" Jensen mumbled as he looked away, a bright pink tint upon his face. "Aw," Schuyler giggled as she maneuvered around the table to encase her brother in a hug, "We still love you!" Jensen smiled and embarrassedly hugged his little sister just as tight. "Even if he is challenged," Jared muttered, looking away with a sigh. "Not cool, man."_

* * *

_"Sky!" A little copper haired, green eyed boy skipped across the cobblestone streets of Chicago. "Hey, klein licht," she beamed, her brown ringlets pouring out from the hood she wore to conceal herself. The child, who could have been no older than seven, rushed over to her and threw his thin arms around her waist in a fond embrace._

_"Why do you always call me that?" He frowned as his eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What?" She smiled knowingly, "Klein licht?" "Yeah," he nodded with a grin. A sad smile spread across her face as she bent down to face him, "It means 'little light'. My brother used to call me that. My brother cared for me very much, as I do for you, so that's why I call you 'klein licht'_." _"But," he huffed with impatience, "Why? What does it mean?" "Where I come from," she pondered as she sat down on a nearby bench, the boy following suit, "I was seen as a bad person because I was different. In my hometown, being different was a bad thing, and because of it, I was cast from society." "Bad?" The boy's eyebrows furrowed as he tried in vain to comprehend the thought, "You're the nicest person I know! Why would they think you were bad?" _

_"That's how it was back then," she chuckled as she bumped his shoulders playfully. "People saw me only for my strange eyes, the day of which I was born into this world, and the strange ability I had over people. It was a lonely life cloaked by darkness." "But, your brother was different, like me!" The child exclaimed. "You read my mind," she smiled as he playfully returned the shoulder bump, "Pretty sharp for a squirt." He beamed happily. "But yes, you're right. Thomas was the only exception. He told me that instead of me being the darkness that shrouded the village, it was the village itself that thrived in it and amongst it all, was a single, brilliant light—me. Hence the name 'klein licht'." "Little light," the child pondered as he looked to the sky and swung his feet back in forth. "I guess I could be that." "You are," she smiled, "You're a brilliant light shining for miles for all to see. You'll do great things one day, Edward. You'll make a difference and you'll shine your light for all that cross your path."_

_ The child went silent for a moment. "Schuyler, do you really believe in me that much?" "I do," she smiled. She moved to peak at his face, "But you're not going to do much shining frowning like that! I want to see that Edward smile." "You're weird," he muttered, failing miserably to hide his crooked smile. "I prefer the word 'unique'." "You're still weird." "And you're still a shiny little squirt."_

* * *

So many faces flashed by me. They were people I'd met over the course of my life. I saw my family—Thomas, father, mother, Jensen and Jared—my fears, my friends—Bella, Alice, Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, Jacob, Billy, Seth… the faces blurred by in a frenzy, yet only two stuck.

Jasper…

And _my_ Edward.

Life.

Death.

Both were dead, yet one still remained.

Am I dying?

I think I am.

I've lived a long life, I realized as their faces continued to buzz by. The rolling thunder drew quieter and fell into slow, unsteady rhythms. I have lived without regrets and I have loved with all my heart. I have kept my secrets, my promises and with them I go to my grave, where they will always be safe.

The fire finally reached my brain and consumed me whole. Darkness reigned. The rolling thunder passed. And then, everything was silent and I was numb. My mind wandered as I began to fade. It was like floating mindlessly in the ocean. I was lost in the infinite darkness and my lungs burned for air as I drowned in the fire.

It's strange, life.

We take it for granted until it's gone.

We thrive for what is out of reach.

We fight for the ones we love.

We shield age-old secrets even from the grave.

And, most of all…

Love… the warm, complete, mighty love that we feel…

It doesn't fade at all.

_**Carlisle's Point of View**_

"She flat lined!"

"Get the defibrillator!"

"There's no pulse!"

"One more time! Increase the voltage!"

"She's lost too much blood, Doctor!"

"She's gone…"

"She _can__'__t_ die! Once more!"

"Doctor… she's gone…"


	31. Chapter 25 Fading, Part 2

**Note:****Very****Important!**Okay, So I realize that this chapter is very, very confusing, so I put a few notes at the end so that it'll make more sense, or at least as much sense as my strange mind can make. Sorry for any and all confusion. There should be a number (#) in text; scroll down and you'll find cliff notes. The next few chapters should clear up the big chaotic mess that I have made.

**Chapter 25**

_Fading_

**Part II**

_Broken Angel_

_**Jasper's Point of View  
**_

"She's gone."

_No_.

She can't be gone.

It was odd. My feet carried me as if I were floating on the wind. Streets passed, people were mere stationary objects, yet time was moving too fast. I couldn't smell anything. I ran into a hospital filled with blood, something that had always pushed me into my primal nature. After all, I was the weakest link in my family; my attack on Bella only months prior was proof enough.

Yet, I couldn't smell the blood. Its call was nothing compared to the allure of my angel. I must have scared everyone with the wildness in my eyes and my inhuman way of moving, but I didn't care. Only she mattered.

"Schuyler," I whimpered as I stopped before her. Carlisle zapped her again with the defibrillator, but her heart was still a flat line on the monitor. She was so… My eyes caressed her, all of her. Her skin was pale; the shade was unrivaled and could put even the moon to shame. Her eyes were open. They did not shine. They did not melt my heart. They were dull and void of everything that made me love her—her spirit, her fire, her unconditional love. She wasn't there.

The scars that marred her figure were more apparent under the florescent lights; some were even reopened. I nearly broke when I saw the bruise patterns tracing her skin. In shades of yellow, purple, black, and blue they came; I caught sight of a few that took the shape of a hand.

All I could see was red. Blood was smeared all over her and covered her like a blanket. Scratches, lacerations, bruises, bumps—everything and anything that could have been inflicted adorned her tiny, fragile body. I could feel her, feel the terror and pain that tortured her. My Schuyler was broken.

I broke my promise.

"We have a pulse!"

I looked up instantly to see her chest rise with a light, strangled gasp. Carlisle let out a sigh of relief as he pushed the crash cart away. "We managed to stop most of the bleeding," a female nurse added, "But she's lost a lot of blood and has a couple of broken or fractured bones. We need to get her into operation immediately."

She would live?

The team let out a collective sigh of relief, having saved their patient, even if for that one moment. But Carlisle was confounded. He stared at the screen with her stats intensely and scowled. "This isn't right… her heart's normal, slow even. Something's not right."

As always, Carlisle was right.

Schuyler gave out a loud screech and flailed about wildly. "Jasper! What's-" Edward stopped immediately. His eyes grew wide, grew wild, much like my own. But it wasn't the blood, not hers. We were afraid. She was more afraid.

"Please, STOP!" She wailed, her fists flying and her arms winding around herself in a make-shift defense position. Her eyes—my own widened as I saw them—she wasn't here. She was seeing somewhere else, a distant past. Her fist caught a nurse's shoulder; he flew backwards across the room. "I won't do it again. I'm sorry!" Tears cascaded down her face.

"Schuyler!" Carlisle yelled as he tried to pin her arms down. He let out a strangled gasp when the scars covering her arms began to redden as if the blood were pouring out of her veins into those specific spots, blood bursting out from the cuts and gashes she'd sustained **(1)**. "Please, don't hurt me! I won't run away again, I promise!" With that cry, we heard a chorus of snaps. Every soul winced. Three bones—two in either arm and one, her collarbone. The nurses fumbled and scuttled across the room in an uproar as Carlisle reared away, horrified that his restraining may have been the cause **(2)**. They didn't know what was happening. And, quite frankly, neither did we.

"No!" Edward yelled as he grabbed my arms and forced me back. "Let go!" I snarled as I lunged to bite him. "She needs me! She's hurting!" I yelled over her cries for help. "You're a fool!" He yelled back, this time in silence, "We can't do anything! Carlisle is the only one who can!" Silence.

We turned to see her laying there, her frail body twitching and her chest rising slowly. Carlisle moved quickly and began to bandage anything and everything he could reach. It wasn't over, he had realized.

Again, Carlisle was right. The storm was far from over.

"The water's rising! Jensen!" She coughed and sputtered violently as she choked. She was drowning where she was. Carlisle leaped forward and began CPR. He quickly called over a nurse to help, as he didn't have any air to give. Another nurse rushed in to help by forcing air into her lungs. Drowning… Schuyler was terrified of water. She'd drowned, she said. It was her first death. Was she reliving her fears?

Carlisle managed to save her once again.

Schuyler was rolled gently onto her side to dry cough. She gasped greedily, painfully for air. Carlisle's eyes began to reveal his own panic, although his skilled hands and mind still worked relentlessly to heal her. We were all wondering the same thing—why wasn't she healing fast enough? Again, she began to scream.

"There's no one else! I'm the only one!" Her broken arms shifted as if to guard neck; the sudden movement pushed the bone through the skin. Carlisle gingerly pushed her arms to the bed so that another nurse could tie down her hands using several leather straps. "The answer is no! You sick, twisted bas-" She gave out a loud wail of pain as her eyes clenched closed. Blood from the cuts beneath her eyes mixed with the water coloring her tears red. The faint smell of burning flesh filled the air. A hotspot on her ribs burned red where old burn scars were **(1)**. She twitched violently in pain, her fists clamping tightly onto the bed. Despite their attempts to keep her down, the glass inflicted gash on her head opened wider, spilling even more of the little precious blood she had left. Carlisle quickly began to suture the gash shut while a nurse wiped away the blood. The other doctor worked just as quickly to stop the bleeding on her back. Again, the dreaded silence came, which meant another sequence of fear.

"Jasper, you can't-" I struggled against him as I saw her blood red tears flow down her terrified face. I'm sure I looked half crazed by now. In all honesty, I didn't care. I _needed_ to save her. "Jasper, stop! They-"

"EDWARD!" She let out an earsplitting wail. One more doctor and two nurses flew into the room and joined Carlisle at his side. "Schuyler?" Edward muttered in confusion. While he was distracted, I took the opportunity to rush past him to her side, "Schuyler!" "Jasper!" Carlisle gasped in alarm, completely unaware that I'd been standing near all along. He gripped my forearms and ripped me away from her bedside, "I know you love her, but you can't be here! The blood-" "Someone save him! Please!" She broke into sobs. Tears flooded cascaded down her face, contorted by with wild alarm. Wailing, she shouted in hysterics, "SOMEONE SAVE MY BABY!"

"She's with child?" The new doctor question, his face paling considerably as his eyes swept across all of the life-threatening injuries she'd already sustained. All eyes turned onto Schuyler, who continued to thrash against the restraints, sobbing uncontrollably. "She's not pregnant," Carlisle replied in utter disbelief. The doctor nodded, his determination to save his patient returning as he tuned out the cries of the woman who begged him to save a child that was not within her.

Edward's sudden cry overpowered Schuyler's desperate sobs. Carlisle's attention whipped around to find him crotched on the floor, squeezing his head in pain. Schuyler arched upward in pain. The other two doctors attempted to push her down so her spine wouldn't snap in two.

With one last heart earth shattering cry, she fell back onto the bed, battered, broken, and lifeless. The monitor flat lined. Her eyes rolled backwards and her eyelids fluttered before closed. Her body relaxed, then fell completely limp. Her chest moved up, then down, and then stopped moving altogether. Carlisle rushed back to her side and brought out the defibrillator to try to revive her. He couldn't.

In a daze, I stumbled past the nurses and doctor to her side and gripped her bloodied hand. She didn't grip back. "Schuyler?" I whispered as I trailed my fingers over her face. She was cold. "Schuyler?" I continued, "Wake up. Please…" A nurse walked up to me, pity in his eyes, "Sorry, son. She's gone." I couldn't hear anymore. I could only see her. "Wake up…" I whispered.

I thought it strange when I looked at her; she was still so amazingly beautiful. Her body was mangled, yet her complexion and shape were heartbreakingly beautiful. Dark red streaks ceased falling from her closed eyes, yet the lines where they had fallen still remained. She was so peaceful, so still, like a white angel.

The doctors called it. One packed up and moved onto another patient while the other stayed to stare in shock at what was possibly the strangest, scariest thing she'd ever seen. Carlisle was frozen in shock behind me; I could hear him sobbing.

In a trance, I cradled her face in my hands and wiped away her tears. She was so pale, even paler than me. Her creamy white skin, the slight tinge of a blush upon her cheeks—it was all gone. Her lips, now, were a light shade of blue, be it from lack of oxygen or from bruising, they were no longer their lush, scarlet red. Bruises, cuts, and broken bones decorated once unblemished skin. Her eyelids remained closed, covering her bright blue and green eyes—one like a forest, one like the sky. My hand moved from her face and entangled in her wavy auburn hair. Her curls had fallen flat.

I faintly heard a scuffle in the background. I assumed from the wailing and shouting that everyone else had caught up. They were lucky. They only saw her as a peaceful angel; they were ignorant of the previous events. Carlisle slipped away, probably to restrain the brothers. I could feel the despair; everyone felt it.

She was cold, colder than me. Without a thought, I pulled off my jacket and draped it over her tiny frame like a blanket. My hand slid into her own again, something only we could do. Again, she didn't hold back. Gathering the jacket around her closer, I pulled her body into my lap and kissed her head lovingly, tucking a stray tendril of hair behind her ear as I cradled her closer.

I reached out with my ability. What was she feeling? Was she still in pain? My eyebrows furrowed. I couldn't find any trace.

Her corpse lay, silent.

_**Edward's Point of View**_

Chaos ensued.

The brothers came tumbling in, followed closely by the rest of my family. Jensen and Jared let out inhuman wails as soon as they caught a glimpse of her. Before they could push past security or injure one of the nurses, Carlisle caught their arms and pulled them out of the emergency room into an empty room. "You don't need to see this," he'd said. Before entering the room, he gestured for the rest of his family to follow into the adjoining waiting room.

I lingered behind. I sat there in the corner of the ER and watched as Jasper cradled her with so much care, so much love. He kissed her and held her tightly as if she were still alive. He didn't even notice the blood. To him, it was just her, only her. I would have thought that he didn't realize that she was gone with the way he handled her… if it weren't for the shaking of his shoulders and the tearless sobs of despair.

He deserved to be with his beloved, I thought as I turned away. I stumbled blindly like a zombie through the halls until I entered the waiting room. I found the brothers, broken, but not as broken as Schuyler. They were crying. Everyone was. Bella and Alice were sharing shoulders, sobbing for the loss of their dear friend. Esme sat beside Carlisle. Both of their shoulders trembled as they, too, mourned the loss. Emmett and Rosalie left. I knew, oddly, that they had grown quite attached to Schuyler. They didn't want to be here. They couldn't take it. So, instead, they ran off with a promise to alert the wolves and find who had committed this horrible crime. Of course, we already knew. We knew who just as well as we knew we wouldn't fight. Not tonight.

I fumbled a few times before I found somewhere to crash. My hands flew to my aching head as I sat in silence. I'd remembered. I remembered how I knew Schuyler—why she was familiar, why she knew Bella's lullaby. In a single instant, a lifetime of concealed memories rushed in. I knew now, and it made losing her so much harder. It always was when you lost the ones you loved.

NOTES:

**(1) **There is a theory that if a person believes hard enough that they are, in fact, feeling pain or being subjected to pain, their body will react as if they were (similar to "Phantom Pains," ect). This idea is a theory that is explored in the show Fringe. Schuyler is reliving her past-seeing her life flash before her eyes, in a sense. Because the memories are so powerful, she actually believes that she is being hit or being burned.

**(2) **In this case, Carlisle's attempt to restrain a severely weakened Schuyler actually adds to the stress on her bones (she, herself, hurts herself by struggling too hard against the restraint, straining her bones). Carlisle doesn't know Schuyler is allergic to the venom or that she's been bitten, so he is under the belief that she will heal herself.


	32. Chapter 26 Thomas

**Chapter 26**

_Heaven_

"Somehow I know that we can't wake again from this dream.

It's not real, but it's ours."

-_Before__the__Dawn_, Evanescence

What the hell?

"I'm dead."

Yep, dead as a doornail. That would explain why I'm here. What other reason could there be for waking up in the middle of a field?

The meadow was a marvel. It was so quiet, yet so full of life. The grass was blue-green and swayed majestically in the breeze. Patches of wildflowers decorated the great plain and filled it with color for miles around. There weren't many trees around except for a few lone willows and sycamores, all of which were enhanced by a blush of autumn. Wildlife filled the heath as well. A small bambi and her mother strolled leisurely by. The music of the crickets filled the air. When I looked into the sky, my eyes were met by the all-seeing hawk as it swooped across the air currents. My eyes lingered there, on the sky. I saw the moon, shining brightly, and next to it, what could only be the sun. The sun was bright and felt warm on my skin, but it was odd. It seemed as if it were shadowed by an unseen force, perhaps the moon? Even odder, I stood tall in the shadow, the shadow of the sun.

"I've been waiting, _klein__licht_."

I froze.

Only one person had ever called me that.

I spun around, the Victorian dress dancing like a lavender breath of wind. My heart swooned and my lips widened into the biggest smile that I could muster, "Thomas!" My feet moved without a second notice and I flew across the meadow into my brother's awaiting arms. "Thomas!" I cried again as I wrapped my arms around his waist as tight as I could. He chuckled and patted my head, "I missed you, too, klein licht." I lifted my face from his shirt and sniffed as I wiped a stray tear from my eye. "No need for tears," he added, his skin and smile glowing like the sun above us. "I am sorry," I whispered as I swallowed the joy, "I just missed you so much, my brother." "As did I, klein licht." "I am dead, am I not?"

He held me at arm's length and his smile seemed sad, "Not quite. That's why you're here and not in heaven." "Heaven?" I whispered. I was going to heaven? _Me_? "They wouldn't let me in?" I guessed as my heart sunk. Thomas laughed, "Of course they will! In fact, they needed a messenger. As soon as I found out it was you, I jumped at the chance."

"What are you talking about, Thomas?" I muttered as I wiped away the last of my joy induced tears. Thomas sighed and lightly smacked the side of his head, "Forgive me, Schuyler. I got a little too excited. I forgot that I was supposed to explain first." My eyebrows furrowed. Explain what? I'm confused.

Thomas led me by the crook of my elbow to the nearest willow tree. "Have a seat," he curtly gestured towards the base of the tree. He sat down on the grass and I fell in line beside him. I groaned. "What is it?" He asked curiously, his royal blue eyes sparkling in the light. I stared blankly, "I'm wearing a dress. The best part about living forever is that fashion trends change. I always hated wearing these dresses. They're heavy and you can't run in them." Thomas chuckled, "I remember. You always wore Jared's clothes and refused to wear dresses." "And," I sighed, "For six years straight, everyone thought I was a boy." He chuckled.

"Schuyler," he started, his persona completely serious, "You have a choice." "A choice?" I repeated slowly, contemplating. "Yes," he nodded as he watched his hands slide back and forth over the grass. "You don't have to die, Sky." My breath caught in my throat as I stared at him in utter amazement. "I… don't have to die?" I could go back to the living? "Yes," he continued. He picked a daffodil near the base of the tree and twirled it in his fingers, "You have a choice. You can live and go back." "Or, I die," I mumbled as I fiddled with a thread on my dress, "What a choice, indeed."

Thomas looked up with a somber smile, "You've lived a long life. I must say that I've watched over you every chance I got." His eyes shut and he grimaced as he remembered, "I saw what happened when I left. You've lived through things that others couldn't even dream of. You have faced great pain, fear, loss, helplessness, loneliness, and more. You have suffered so much." I picked at individual blades of grass mindlessly. "But," he opened his eyes and smiled, "You don't have to hurt anymore. You can finally come home. We've been waiting for so long." "We?" I whispered, my eyes widening, my fingers losing their grip on the green turf. Thomas' smile was contagious; beaming, he reached out for my hand, "Yes! I must show you! I fear they will be angry if I do not!" He chuckled. I reached for him, but drew my hand back just as quickly, making him frown. "What's the matter, klein licht?" "I can't. My touch will hurt you." He glanced at the hand I hid beneath the folds of my dress. His eyes glittered serenely, "It's quite alright, now. This is heaven, Schuyler. Well, almost. There's no such thing as pain."

I looked up to his hand and considered. My hand wavered in the air, unsure. Slowly, I reached out and grasped his hand. "There," he beamed, "That wasn't so hard." He hoisted me to my feet and pulled me gently by the hand out from under the tree. "You'll be so surprised," he chuckled giddily. We walked across a small bridge over a tiny trickling creek to a field of wildflowers in several different hues and colors. The wind blew, the stems swaying the petals like a moving rainbow. "Close your eyes," Thomas whispered as he moved my hands to cover my eyes. "What's going-" I stopped short when I felt a warm rush of air and felt a glowing, loving embrace of light. My hands dropped slowly and I gasped. Tears fell instantly.

Everyone was there, waiting. They were all embraced by the light, a light I couldn't even begin to describe with words. Words stood feebly in comparison to the love and compassion I felt from that bright, warm light. "Is this heaven?" I whispered, reaching out towards the warm tendrils. "Yes," he whispered, awed still by the magnificence it bestowed.

Inside, everyone was smiling. Everyone was happy. I saw my father, my mother, Annabel, Lotte, and Renee. Beside Renee was an older, smiling gentleman and in her arms was a tiny infant—her husband and her child. They weren't the only ones there. Behind them were so many faces, the faces of everyone I'd ever met, ever saved, ever taken away. Not one held contempt. Not one held any other emotion other than the purest love and truest happiness. It was paradise. It was heaven. Even Henry Clearwater and Ephraim Black were there, smiling and waving. "Those two have been especially impatient," Thomas chuckled, "Henry was unhappy because everyone got to see you but him. Ephraim said he never got to get you back for pulling his tail. But I think that's just a front. They really missed you." I chuckled and sobbed and blew a kiss or two in their general direction. "But," he beamed, "There was another more impatient then all of us combined."

I broke down into sobs. "He's been waiting for so long," Thomas whispered as he cradled a small child in his arms. He handed him over to me and I gasped for air. The child, who was no older than three, wrapped his arms around my neck. He cried out happily, "Mommy!" I couldn't stop crying. "Edward!" I cradled him closer and kissed his copper brown hair over and over, "I missed you so much! Mommy loves you!" "Mommy," he giggled as I tickled his sides. He beamed the biggest smile I'd ever seen and his eyes sparkled radiantly like two amazing sapphires. "He got that from you," Thomas added, "He got your smile, your sparkling eyes, your fiery spirit, and, in most cases, your immaturity." At that, we both turned and stuck our tongues out at him.

It was so perfect, so unreal. I chuckled, "Somebody shake me because I…" I paused. Why had I said that? More words followed suit, all sung in a tenor symphony with a slight southern accent. _I__must__be__dreaming_. I felt a light tingle in my hand. I glanced at my palm. It looked normal, yet, oddly, it felt so cold. A revelation struck me. That's right. There was more to it than this. Things were never so simple.

"Thomas," I questioned as I set Edward down so he could run and play in the field of flowers, "What will happen if I go to heaven?" He frowned, taken aback, "You'll be in heaven." "No," I muttered as I fiddled with the lace on my dress, "If I'm in heaven, what will happen to everything I left behind?" He fell silent. "Jensen and Jared-" Thomas looked up, "They'll be fine, Schuyler. They're grown men. They can take care of themselves." I chuckled humorlessly, "Sometimes, I really doubt that. What of the Cullens and the war? What will become of them?" I panicked as I turned to face him. Thomas shrugged and kicked a rock, "I can't see the future, but I know that they've teamed up. I have faith in them." "The Cullens," I whispered, "I'll miss them so much." He nodded slowly, "Yes." My hand flew to my aching chest. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the pain. My heart gave a jolt. I cringed.

Edward came back with a handful of white daisies. "Momma!" He cheered as he pulled at the bottom of my dress. With a mother's smile, I bent down, "Are these for me?" He beamed and nodded excitingly. "Thank-you," I kissed his cheek, "They're beautiful." "Your son needs you," Thomas insisted as I held Edward's hand with one hand and tucked a daisy behind my ear with another. I laughed halfheartedly as I stared at Edward for the longest time; I then sobbed, "No, you're wrong." Thomas was taken aback. I glanced at Thomas and let my eyes rest on Edward, who hugged my leg as he watched the meadow with glee. "My Edward grew up," I stroked his soft hair fondly. "He had two families that loved him and when he became older, he started his own. He lived freely and fully, and he grew old and watched his own family grow. Then, surrounded by people who loved him, he died peacefully in his sleep as a happy, old man." Edward aged right in front of me into a teenager, into an adult, and then into an older man. The man smiled brilliantly and kissed my cheek. With a knowing smile, he whispered, "It's not quite dawn yet," his chuckle echoed like bells, "Until the sun rises, I suppose you have to keep singing. I love you, mother." He stepped into the light and was instantly joined by his wife, his children, and everyone who loved him in life as well as in death.

Thomas smiled sadly, "You're not coming with me, are you?" I shook my head with a light, pain filled smile. "Why?" He cried, unable to understand why I'd give up heaven for hell on earth, "Aren't you in pain? Aren't you lonely?" I nodded, "Yes, living is painful." He moved as if to talk, but I cut him off with a serene smile, "But I am no longer alone. There are so many people who care for me, and I love them. There are people who still need me." I chuckled, "Jensen and Jared for example. Those two can't even turn on the stove without setting an entire building on fire. The wolves—they don't exactly see eye to eye with the Cullens. They know me and have accepted me. Whether they realize it or not, they need me with them. And the Cullens need me, even if they deny it. If anything, I spice up their lives, or lack thereof, since they are, well, dead, but that's not the point." I stopped to take a breath, "This war is my fault anyway. I made a promise that I would protect them, and with everything I have, I will!"

Thomas smiled coyly, "And the guy?" I looked up in surprise, "How?" "I'm dead," he shrugged, "Not blind. I know a smitten girl when I see one." "That's right," I chuckled with a roll of my eyes, "Big brother knows everything." "Damn straight," he nodded. I gave him an odd look for his choice of words. He cleared his throat and looked at an interesting leaf, "So, who's the lucky guy?" "Jasper," I beamed, "I love him more than words can express."

"Is this your final decision?" Thomas asked with a small smile. "Big brother knows everything," I muttered with a small shrug. Thomas rolled his eyes playfully, "I suppose we could wait a _little_ longer." At the last word, I felt a jab in my chest. Suddenly, a heavy weight appeared there and it began to flutter madly like the racing wings of a hummingbird. Then, like a scene from Carrie, blood began to seep through my lavender dress.

Ah, pain, here I come.

The meadow became darker and darker until all I could see was Thomas. "Oh," he called at a second thought, "about Edward." His voice faded, going farther and farther away. The last thing I heard before being consumed by the dark abyss was Thomas yelling over the tide, "Everyone deserves a second chance!"


	33. Chapter 27 Always

**Chapter 27**

_In Her Eyes, the World_

"Tell me, did you sail across the sun?

Did you make it to the Milky Way, to see the lights all faded,

And that Heaven is overrated?"

-_Drops __of __Jupiter, _Train

_Jasper's Point of View  
_

She was gone and she wasn't coming back no matter how many times I sang to her. I clutched her tiny hand tighter and brought it to my lips. She wasn't going to wake up. I continued to sob without the tears I so desired to spill as I cradled her body closer. I remember her so vividly as if she were still here, right beside me. I remember her smile and how she could easily brighten any room or fix any broken spirit. I could still feel her touch and the fiery trails that her boiling skin would leave on mine. I remember the warmth, the love I always felt radiating from her like a furnace. I remember her kiss—ice versus fire, yin to her yang, the missing piece to the puzzle. I love—_loved__—_her so much.

_Thump._

So much, she'll never know. It was only her. It sounds drastic, but it really wasn't. I… I think I loved her, even then, when we first met. I loved her, I killed her. That was why she'd hunted me so. All it took was a single glance into her eyes, into her soul and I was hooked. Her eyes… I loved them so. One was green and the other was blue; on anyone else, it would be odd. Yet, on her, it was perfect. I could see everything about her, just by gazing into those beautiful eyes. That's what I loved most. And her? She simply smiled when I asked that. I remember how she sat back with that teasing thoughtful look before finally caving in to tell me why she loved me, her eyes sparkly with every word:

'_I love your soul,' she'd said, 'You have been hurt so much and you've battled for so long against yourself.' Her smile had widened even more, 'Yet, despite the struggle, your soul is still so beautiful, so incandescent. You're like the sun. You shine so brightly and you love with a blazing, fiery passion. Your heart is in every action you take, and you fight for what you believe in and, whether you believe it or not, you're light, not darkness.' She giggled with a grin and added, 'You're kind of like the energizer bunny.'_

_Thump. Thump._

God, what was I going to do without her?

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Could I really live without her? Could I stand to pass by every waking hour knowing that she wouldn't be there? No. My heart couldn't bare it. I couldn't be anything but a monster without her by my side. So, what would I do?

I would leave. I'd go to the Volturi and let them kill me. No. I couldn't do that. I pulled her body closer. I'd fight in the war. I'd fight with everything I had and I would kill Gabriel for what he's done. I'll kill him, and then I'll die. It could be an accident. There were so many newborns… it would look like an accident if one got me from behind and I couldn't stop him. Yes, an accident. I guess, then, I'll find out. I'll find out if Schuyler was right. If she was, which I hoped for blindly, then we would be together in heaven. Or, perhaps, God would let me see her, if only for a second it would be enough, before sending me to hell.

_Thump. Thump._

_ What__the__hell__is__that__noise?_ I growled in irritation. I held my breath and stilled for complete silence. I heard it again.

My brow furrowed. The beat was irregular and faint. It was slow and offbeat, yet it fluttered and marched to its own drum. I frowned as I recalled a similar sound.

I was hearing _her_.

Or at least, I was hearing her weird heartbeat.

I sighed as the music calmed me. I'd finally snapped. I was hearing phantom sounds, sounds created by my own distorted, grieving mind. Next, I'd be hearing her voi-

"Jas…"

I couldn't breathe. I was hearing her voice.

"Jasper…"

My grip on her tiny hand tightened and I held her corpse even closer.

"Ow…damn…it."

My eyebrows furrowed. Why on earth would I imagine her saying that?

I felt a light squeeze in my hand.

My eyes followed the slight pressure.

Her fingers twitched.

My eyes slowly trailed from our entwined hands to her face.

My eyes widened and my forgotten heart burst through my ribcage.

_**Schuyler's Point of View**_

One word.

_Ow._

"Jasper?" I whispered hoarsely. The golden angel snapped his attention to my face. His eyes grew wide. "Too… tight…" I whispered as my muscles gave an involuntary twitch as the pain began to return. Don't get me wrong. I love Jasper, but he was hugging too tight for my poor broken bones to handle.

Jasper loosened his grip just enough. "Schuyler…?" His voice, a symphony filled with only the richest notes, rang like the bells of heaven in my ears. My eyes drifted closed and I smiled as well as I could. "Am I in heaven?" My eyes cracked open as much as I could manage. I chuckled, which turned into a cough, and answered, the small smile never leaving my face, "It's good to know… that a hospital is your… idea of heaven." Ah, resurrected for less than a minute and I'm already cracking jokes.

Jasper smiled, his eyes making the drastic change from dull to life. He traced his thumb over my lips, "Anywhere you are is heaven." My heart gave a great leap in my chest and I felt my body finally kick into gear. I was starting to heal, I could feel it, but the pain was also becoming more real as well. "We're not dead," I rattled as I tried to sit up from his embrace. It didn't work. "Shh," he coed as his fingers traced the contours of my face, "It doesn't matter anymore." Doesn't matter? How could it not matter?

Jasper's smile softened, "I probably won't be going to the same place you are, but I have hope that I might catch a passing glance on my way down." His eyes drifted closed for the briefest of seconds. When they opened, they held something far greater. I could see so clearly what I loved so much about him, what made me fight just to see him one more time. In his eyes, his soul was brighter than any sun and more passionate and loving than any fire. "I never told you," he whispered, his soul brightening with every word, "how much I love you. Sky, I love you so much, much more than-" "I know," I whispered back, squeezing his hand as best I could. My smile, however fell once I remembered his previous words. "Jasper," I whispered as I lifted my shaky hand to his face, "This isn't a dream." His free hand cradled mine against his cheek. I frowned. He still didn't believe me. So, how could I make him? Heck, _I_ didn't really believe this.

A sudden pain shot through my arm and my hand fell from his face. I looked at the appendage to find it covered in bruises. I turned it slightly to find a bulge on the underside; my arm was broken. My attention momentarily left Jasper and trailed over my body. I was wearing Jasper's jacket, but from what I could tell, I was one giant bruise.

"Oh my!" A woman screeched. I heard a metal clang and winced at the sudden loud noise. Jasper jumped and whipped around to face a stumbling nurse. "S-sh-she's…" The woman couldn't form words, so she gestured wildly with her flailing arms. She gaped, her eyes wider than a saucer, and hyperventilated. She then collapsed onto the floor, completely down for the count.

"See?" I grumbled as I glared blankly at a stunned Jasper, "_Not_ dead."

Jasper's dark golden eyes swirled as the gears turned in his head. "You're real?" He muttered, completely lost, "Alive?" "I won't be," I winced as more pain continued to take form, "if Carlisle doesn't get here soon." Without a single moment of hesitation, Jasper carefully bundled me up in the jacket and picked me up as if I were a child. Once I was securely fastened in his arms, he took off running down the halls. "I'm… so… sleepy," I muttered as my heavy eyes closed. I snuggled closer into Jasper's jacket. I felt him run faster.

_**Jasper's Point of View  
**_

She was alive. Schuyler was alive! I rejoiced as I ran past frazzled doctors and curious patients. I easily avoided every obstacle and practically danced into the lobby. My heart (metaphorically speaking) gave a great leap once I realized her heat was returning. She was _alive_!

"Carlisle!" I shouted as I pushed the double doors to the waiting room open with my back. I turned around to face my family with a smile. Carlisle looked over and frowned, a look of horror in his eyes. "Jasper?" He questioned as I drew closer. When I stopped beside him, his eyes grew wide at who I was carrying. "Jasper-" He began hurriedly. I cut him off, "She's okay!" I felt a hand on my shoulder. My head tilted towards my brother, Edward. "Jasper," he whispered, his eyes pitch black, "She's gone. I'm sorry." I frowned, "She's not." I heard Bella sniff loudly. I glanced over to find her and Alice leaning on the other's shoulder in complete despair. "What the-" Jensen flew from his seat and marched over, his eyes wide in disbelief. Jared joined him, his eyes blazing with fury, "What the hell are you doing!" "Jasper," Carlisle whispered as he gripped my other shoulder, "We need to put her back. I know it's hard, but-" Carlisle moved to take her from my arms.

I snarled. Carlisle drew his hand back. "She's not-" "So… loud…" Everyone fell silent. The tiny girl in my arms moved slightly and opened her eyes to stare at everyone. "Noisy," she frowned as she laid her head on my chest. Her eyes fell slightly with fatigue. She snuggled closer and groaned, "Feel… like… ran over…elephants." "L-lore?" Jared whispered, stepping closer, eyes wide. Jensen bounced forward, "Holy shit! You're not dead!" Schuyler stared blankly at the two. She shook her head in disbelief, "Thomas… silly…" "Thomas?" Jared repeated, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Schuyler tilted her head up slightly and nuzzled her face into my neck. Her eyes drifted closed again.

"Jasper," Carlisle called, his voice stern and serious, "Follow me. We need to get her medical attention as soon as possible. She may be going into shock." I nodded and raced after him.

"When did she wake up?" He asked as he switched into doctor-mode. "About ten minutes ago," I answered as I looked down at the tired angel. I looked up quickly, "She's in a lot of pain. I can feel it." Carlisle nodded absentmindedly as he grabbed cart after cart and pushed it along. Soon, we reached an empty room and he ushered me in. Once inside, I laid her down onto the bed, never once breaking our entwined fingers.

As soon as she was down, Carlisle set to work. With a skill no other doctor could ever hope to possess, he began to fix the broken girl before me. "Perhaps," Carlisle offered as he began to bandage her head, "You should join the others in the waiting room. Things could get messy in here." He meant the blood and my control over it. "No." Carlisle turned instantly towards the voice.

"Lorena?" He smiled. "No," she whispered, her voice breaking, as her eyes fluttered open. She glanced at me, "Stay." I mirrored the smile, "Always." I squeezed her hand. "Morphine won't work," she grumbled as she turned to Carlisle, who had just picked up a vile of the said substance. "It's an immortal thing," she frowned with a slight shrug. I smiled and kissed her hand, "Morphine won't work, but I know something that will." I reached out to her with my ability and calmed her and dulled the pain. She sighed happily and leaned further into the pillow.

"Thanks," she whispered, her eyes blazing with gratitude. "You are welcome," I nodded curtly and kissed her hand gently. "That too," she whispered as her eyes became noticeably heavier and heavier. "I've done nothing else," I replied with a strained, low voice, "Above all else, I broke my promise. Your gratitude, if anything, is misplaced." She stared blankly. Her smile widened into the small, crooked smile only she could pull off. Her face was bruised and broken, much like the rest of her body, yet her eyes were shining brighter than I'd ever seen a person's eyes shine. In fact, the shimmering orbs outdid every star, the moon, the sun—everything. In her eyes, I saw the world; in her eyes, I found my everything, my only—her. "You held my hand," she whispered as she squeezed our entwined hands. "You never let go." _Let__her__go?_

"You mean?" I wasn't quite sure what she meant. The way she worded it, I thought she meant that I helped her get through the vampire process. I was wrong.

"I almost gave in," she started as her eyes drifted closed, "I wanted so badly for the pain to stop. I wanted to stop living such a condemned life, as selfish as it sounds. I wanted the painful burning, the eternal fire to cease. I wanted to be free—a feat I've never known, but always wanted.

Then out of the darkness, I fell. Thomas was there. He said he would give me everything and that I didn't have to hurt anymore." Her eyes opened to reveal swells of tears glazing her distant eyes, "Everyone was there, waiting. They were so happy, and at peace. It took but an instant for me to know that everything would be okay. Everyone I had ever hurt held no contempt. Everyone I'd ever loved, loved me still. Like a breath of wind, my memory went blank and all I could think was that they were happy, every single one of them."

Tears spilled over as her voice became softer, "Thomas told me all of this, of course. I, as was he, was so excited to see him again." Her voice cracked, "Yet, we both knew that somewhere in my mind that that wasn't enough." Her eyes moved from our hands to my eyes. She stared intensely, pouring her soul, her heart, her trust into every word, "It was all I ever wanted—a family, a home, freedom from pain, freedom living, everlasting love. It was all there, waiting." She shifted slightly to hunch forward so she could caress my face with her free hand, "It'd always been my dream, my greatest desire." I placed my free hand over hers. Dozens of emotions rolled off of her, each stronger than the next. Dazed, but not confused, I focused hard and whispered what I so desperately had to hear, "Why?"

Why? I knew now. It was just as I thought; she'd seen heaven. She'd seen its radiant light, felt the glow of complete and wholesome love, and witnessed all that I could never give her. She had it all. So, why was she here? Why is she not where she longed for so long to be? Why? I took a shaky breath as she made a move to answer.

"I didn't go." She stated the fact so clearly without even a pinch of remorse. "Why?" I glared as I tightened my hold on both her hands. Why had such a beautiful soul, such a miraculous angel been expelled from heaven? Why was she here in this fiery hell when she could be somewhere where there was neither pain nor fear, a place where she would always be safe? Before I could explode, she lifted our hands to her mouth and kissed mine gently.

"I didn't go," she repeated, "because I realized that it wouldn't really be heaven. I didn't go because it was no longer what I desired to have." She inhaled sharply and caught my eyes again and held them there. In her eyes, I saw her world.

"I realized," she beamed, "that it wouldn't be heaven. After all, heaven is wherever you are."

In her eyes, I saw my own reflection.


End file.
